"I felt fine in warm-up. Like no 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'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, who was one of the favorites at TPC Sawgrass this week, reached for his back and grimaced before calling for a trainer. He spent some time assessing his status before being carted off the golf course and officially withdrawing from the tournament."
"Honestly, coming into this year I had a lot of confidence. I put a lot of work into my body just to get stronger in general, get healthier, get strong, get fitter."
Collin Morikawa, a two-time major winner and recent Pebble Beach Pro-Am champion, withdrew from the Players Championship early Thursday morning due to a back injury. After playing only one hole, Morikawa took a practice swing on the 11th tee and immediately felt his back give out. He described knowing instantly that he could not continue, comparing it to previous back issues from 2021 and 2023. Despite feeling fine during warm-up with no warning signs, the injury forced him off the course. Morikawa had been in strong form this season, leading the FedEx Cup standings with three top-10 finishes and a recent fifth-place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Read at ESPN.com
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