Jason Day Withdraws From Players Championship

Former Players Championship winner Jason Day was forced to withdraw before Thursday's first round at Sawgrass due to illness

Jason Day takes a shot at the FedEx St. Jude Championship
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Paul Higham's avatar
By
published

Former champion Jason Day has been forced to withdraw from the 2025 Players Championship due to illness.

The Australian won the 2016 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass by four shots at the height of his powers, and had been looking in good form this year heading back to the unofficial fifth Major.

However, the 2015 PGA Championship winner was a late withdrawal from the field, as he pulled out early on Thursday morning ahead of the first round.

Day's spot in the field is being taken up by Danny Walker.

Day has had some lean years after his glorious spell in 2015-6 when he won eight times including his first Major at the PGA Championship and The Players.

The now 37-year-old had five straight Major top 10s during 2015-16 and spent a total of 51 weeks as World No.1, but injury problems and loss of form led to some down years.

He was heading to Sawgrass after a solid start to 2025 though, with a T3 finish at the American Express and a nice T8 at Bay Hill last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Day will have to skip a bid to add a second Players Championship though due to illness again causing him problems.

TOPICS
Paul Higham
Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

You might also like
View More ▸