Collin Morikawa withdraws from Players Championship with back injury

The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass is underway, but a favorite has just dropped out of the competition. Collin Morikawa withdrew from The Players Championship on Thursday with a back injury. He appeared to tweak his back on the 11th tee box, just his second hole of the day.

Concern for Collin Morikawa.

He appeared to tweak something in his back and called for a physio on the 11th hole after his drive. pic.twitter.com/WogvRxOEqf

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) March 12, 2026

“Collin Morikawa (back injury) WD during the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship,” PGA Tour Communications announced on Thursday morning.

Morikawa picked up his first win of the season at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am back in February. His strong play coming into The Players made him a popular pick by many, but he only finished one hole before dropping out of the tournament. There are four weeks until The Masters, where Morikawa will look for his third Major Championship.

Morikawa was not the star player fans were worried about withdrawing with a back injury. Rory McIlroy withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational a week ago, citing a back issue, and arrived late at The Players. The defending Masters champion has yet to tee off on Thursday morning, so fans are anxiously waiting to see how he looks on Thursday.

Morikawa has a solid Players Championship record, unlike many pros who struggle at TPC Sawgrass. He made the cut five out of six times, coming into the tournament with a T10 and a T11 finish on his resume. This seemed like a great chance for him to add a win to that ledger, but with 71 holes to go, his tournament was over.

The Players Championship is the crown jewel of the PGA Tour schedule, often creating debate about its status as the 5th Major. Morikawa has already put together a great career with wins at some hallowed cathedrals. But a win at TPC Sawgrass would elevate his resume to a new level. But he will have to wait until 2027 for another chance.

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