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PGA Tour winner Collin Morikawa played just one hole at the Players Championship after withdrawing due to injury on Thursday.
Morikawa, 29, made par on the 10th hole, the only hole he would play, before seriously injuring his back during a practice swing.
“I felt good in the warmup,” Morikawa said, according to the New York Post. “Like nothing showed any back issues. Honestly, (on) the first hole (I) felt great, hit two great shots, made a great putt. I started, nothing hurt. (I) started on 11 and took a practice swing and I just knew it was gone. It all hit me in one second where I was like, ‘Something’s wrong.'”
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Collin Morikawa looks off the tee on the 10th hole during the first round of the 2026 THE PLAYERS Championship at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida on March 12, 2026. (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
“I took a practice swing, it was like I couldn’t swing. Believe me, I would play if I could. It’s just the worst thing in the world.”
The world’s fourth-ranked golfer was taken away in a cart. Ludvig Åberg and Si Woo Kim, Morikawa’s partners, played the rest of the round as a duo.
The Los Angeles native said he was unsure of the cause of his injury.
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Collin Morikawa hits a tee shot on the 10th hole during the first round of the 2026 THE PLAYERS Championship at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida on March 12, 2026. (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
“Before I even start my training, it’s like you have a strange feeling of deja vu,” he said. “I took the practice swing and immediately knew I just couldn’t get over the impact. At that point, (I) called my coach and talked to my caddy Mark (Urbanek) about it. It just sucked.
“It’s just frustrating, because I don’t know what caused it. I did all the warmups (and) I felt good. It’s horrible. I feel bad.”
Morikawa said he had “had this stuff before” and was focused on preparing for the Masters.
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Collin Morikawa prepares for a shot with his caddy, Mark Urbanek, on the tenth hole during the first round of the 2026 THE PLAYERS Championship at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, March 12, 2026. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Morikawa has had a strong start to the 2026 season, making four of five cuts and winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last month.
He finished fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, marking his third top 10 of the season.
