Collin Morikawa Withdraws From Truist Championship

Following the Cadillac Championship, the next Signature Event of the PGA Tour season is already upon us with the Truist Championship, which returns to Quail Hollow after a one-year excursion to Philadelphia Cricket Club in 2025.

However, three days before the opening round in North Carolina, there has been a big-name withdrawal, with Collin Morikawa no longer in the 72-player field for the no-cut event and first alternate Andrew Putnam taking his place.

No reason has been given for two-time Major winner Morikawa’s withdrawal, although he has been struggling with a back injury in recent weeks.

Just a month after claiming his seventh PGA Tour title at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Morikawa withdrew from The Players Championship with the injury after the opening hole.

That was the last time he played until The Masters, where, despite clearly still struggling, he battled to a highly creditable T7 at Augusta National.

Morikawa’s next appearance came at the RBC Heritage in mid-April, where he performed brilliantly again with a T4.

However, he admitted after the first round that he was still not 100% fit, saying: “It's hard to trust the body right now. It's a very uncomfortable feeling. I had never experienced anything like it until about a month ago.”

He added: “I'm not in pain. I know it looked painful, but I'm just very scared, and I've never been this scared in my life to go out and play.”

Following his final round, Morikawa was asked how his next six weeks looked, and he responded: “Unknown. Going to see how the body goes. Obviously, we have a baby due, and that can kind of throw some things off. Going to take it week by week now.”

Morikawa's latest appearance came at the Cadillac Championship, where he placed T62.

While Morikawa’s recent injury struggles are well documented, there could also be a timing factor in his decision not to play in the Truist Championship.

The event comes just a week before the second Major of the year, the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, where he will be hoping to claim the Wanamaker Trophy for the second time, having won it in 2020.

Morikawa isn't the only big name who is missing the Truist Championship, with Scottie Scheffler opting to skip the event.

Nevertheless, there is still a host of world-class talent in the field, including the winner of the Cadillac Championship, Cameron Young, and Rory McIlroy, who will make his first appearance since winning The Masters in April.