PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. \u2014 One of the favorites at this week\u2019s Players Championship managed to play just one hole before withdrawing from the PGA Tour\u2019s flagship event.<\/p>\n
Collin Morikawa, the world\u2019s fourth-ranked player who won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last month, said he felt his back tighten before teeing off on the par-5 11th, his second hole of the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt fine in warm-up. Like nothing\u2019s been any signs of back problems. And teed it up on 11, and took one practice swing, and I just knew it was gone. Like I just had the feeling before when it\u2019s happened. And I just, I can\u2019t swing through it,\u201d Morikawa said. \u201cTrust me, I would play if I could. It\u2019s just the worst thing in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Morikawa said this type of injury has sidelined him before and that there was no indication it was going to happen today.<\/p>\n
Collin Morikawa (WD) “felt fine” during his warmup, but could not continue after feeling discomfort in his back on the 11th tee.<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udcfa Golf Central Live From The Players pic.twitter.com\/8D9asFbbjM<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had this stuff before, and been healthy all throughout the year, been moving weight and pushing, going fast,\u201d he said. \u201cI took the practice swing and immediately knew, like, I just couldn\u2019t get through impact. At that point called over my trainer, and talked about it with my caddie Mark [Urbanek], and it just sucks. I don\u2019t know how to put it in words.\u201d<\/p>\n Morikawa is the second high-profile player to be impacted by an ailing back this week. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy withdrew after two rounds at last week\u2019s Arnold Palmer Invitational with back spasms and didn\u2019t arrive to TPC Sawgrass until Wednesday afternoon<\/a>. He said it will be a \u201cgame-time decision\u201d to play this week\u2019s Players Championship.<\/p>\n