Collin Morikawa Withdraws From The Players Championship After One Hole With Back Injury

Collin Morikawa’s week at The Players Championship ended almost as soon as it began, with the two-time major champion withdrawing Thursday after just one hole because of a back injury.

Morikawa, one of the leading contenders entering the PGA Tour’s flagship event at TPC Sawgrass, opened on the back nine and made par at the 10th. But on the tee at the par-5 11th, he appeared to hurt his lower back during a practice swing and was unable to continue.

Sudden Exit Shakes Up One of the Tournament Favorites

The timing made the withdrawal especially jarring.

Morikawa arrived at Sawgrass in strong form and had been widely viewed as one of the players most likely to challenge for the title this week. Instead, his tournament lasted only a single hole, abruptly removing one of the biggest names from the field before the first round was fully underway.

The scene quickly became one of the defining early moments of Thursday’s opening round, not only because of Morikawa’s stature but because there had been no obvious warning signs before he teed off.

The Injury Appeared During a Practice Swing

The back issue surfaced at the 11th tee, where Morikawa stepped away in visible discomfort after a practice swing.

He tried to stretch and consult with support staff, but it quickly became clear he would not be able to play on. He was later taken from the course by cart, ending a tournament run that many expected to last deep into the weekend.

The suddenness of the injury is likely to become part of the story in the coming days, especially because Morikawa said he felt fine during warmups before the round.

Why the Withdrawal Matters Beyond This Week

This is more than just a missed tournament for Morikawa.

The Players Championship is one of the most important stops on the PGA Tour calendar, and Morikawa came in with momentum after a strong recent stretch that included a victory at Pebble Beach and another high finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. A healthy Morikawa looked like one of the most credible threats in the field.

Now the focus shifts to recovery and what the injury could mean for the next major stretch of the season, particularly with the Masters only weeks away.

Back injuries in golf can be difficult to predict. Some prove manageable quickly, while others linger and affect both swing mechanics and preparation.

Morikawa’s Form Had Made Him a Serious Threat

The withdrawal lands at a particularly frustrating moment because Morikawa had been trending in the right direction.

His recent play had restored him to the center of the conversation around the game’s elite, and his ball-striking profile made him a natural fit for a demanding course like TPC Sawgrass. With the season moving toward its biggest events, this was supposed to be another week to build momentum.

Instead, it became an abrupt medical concern.

That shift is what has driven search interest around Morikawa so sharply on Thursday. The story is not about his long-term résumé or career arc. It is about an unexpected injury at exactly the wrong time in the schedule.

What Comes Next

For now, the immediate question is how serious the back injury is and whether it will interfere with Morikawa’s preparation for the Masters.

There is still no broader competitive takeaway from his week at The Players because it never really started. What is clear is that one of the tournament’s biggest names is out, the withdrawal happened after only one completed hole, and the PGA Tour now heads deeper into March with fresh uncertainty around one of its top contenders.