03/12/26 11:43:00
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03/12 11:33 CDT Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa withdraws from The
Players Championship after one hole
Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa withdraws from The Players Championship
after one hole
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) --- Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa took
one practice swing and knew his week was over right after it started. He
withdrew Thursday from The Players Championship after one hole with pain in his
lower back.
Morikawa, the No. 4 player in the world, took a practice swing on the par-5
11th hole and reached for his lower back. He tried to stretch, consulted his
trainer and minutes later took a cart ride from an official to the clubhouse.
"I felt fine in warm-up. Nothing's been any signs of back problems," Morikawa
told a PGA Tour official. "Teed it up on 11, and took one practice swing, and I
just knew it was gone. I just had the feeling before when it's happened. And I
just, I can't swing through it. Trust me, I would play if I could. It's just
the worst thing in the world."
Morikawa won at Pebble Beach earlier this year, ending a 28-month drought. He
was looked upon as among golf's best performers early in the season, following
that Pebble Beach win with a tie for seventh at Riviera and a tie for fifth
last week at Bay Hill.
Morikawa, who spent the offseason primarily working on getting his body
stronger, said he has had similar back issues, just not recently. It gave him
an idea what was coming.
"Before I even took my practice swing, it's like a weird, like deja vu thing,"
he said. "I took the practice swing and immediately knew. I just couldn't get
through impact."
He said his back felt tender but he could still move around, as long as he
wasn't doing any heavy lifting or swing a golf club.
"I kind of know the protocols of what to do and kind of dance around it," he
said. "But it's going to take a little bit of time."
He was the second player to withdraw from The Players. Ryan Fox withdrew with
an illness before his afternoon tee time. Morikawa was not replaced because he
had already started the tournament.
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This story corrects that Morikawa had gone 28 months without a win until Pebble
Beach.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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