Collin Morikawa, the world No. 4 golfer and in great shape, has dropped out of the 2026 Players Championship because he hurt his back while warming up on the second hole. The event took place at TPC Sawgrass on March 12, 2026, and it cut short what was expected to be a strong showing in the PGA Tour’s main event.
Morikawa finished one hole before hurting his lower back while practicing his swing at the par-5 11th tee. He called for his physiotherapist and tried to stretch it out, but in the end he left in a golf cart, looking very upset. PGA Tour Communications confirmed that there is a back problem, but they haven’t given a new timetable yet.
Morikawa was on a roll going into the tournament, having won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February 2026, then finishing T7 at The Genesis Invitational and 5th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He was at the top of the FedExCup standings and had a lot of strokes gained, which made him a popular choice for the $25 million purse event.
The Players Championship, which is sometimes called golf’s “fifth major,” loses one of its top players early on, shifting the focus to stars like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. Morikawa has a T10 finish here last year, which shows how much this hurts his season momentum. Fans are waiting for news about his recovery before the next big events.
