DeChambeau Withdraws From The Players Championship

Bryson DeChambeau has withdrawn from The Players Championship, which starts on Thursday at TPC Sawgrass. While no reason has been given, the 2020 US Open champion has been struggling with injury most of this season, and took to Instagram to announce he wouldn’t be fit to defend his Arnold Palmer Invitational title last week, but hoped he’d be fit to take part in The Players.

DeChambeau has been affected by hip and hand injuries for much of this season, and has only started three PGA Tour events. He withdrew just before the Sony Open in January, and while he played the Farmers Insurance Open later that month, he was visibly hobbling as he missed the cut by a shot. He withdrew after the first round of the Saudi International last month and ever since, the 28-year-old Californian has been battling to regain full fitness.

Last week, DeChambeau said he was around 90% fit and could hit some balls, though it wasn’t fully comfortable.He said: “At this current point in time I’ve got to take another week off and I’m going to try and get back and play for The Players but as of right now I just can’t risk having it re-aggrevate.”

DeChambeau finished tied third last year in The Players Championship, two shots behind winner Justin Thomas. He is the third of the top 50 in the World Rankings to withdraw from this year’s event, joining Phil Mickelson and Harris English on the sidelines.

His absence this season had been linked to a move to the rumoured Saudi Super League, but DeChambeau last month committed his future to the PGA Tour. The Players Championship starts on Thursday on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Florida.