Vijay Singh Out Of PGA Championship With Back Injury

The three-time major winner has been forced to withdraw due to a back injury

Vijay Singh Out Of PGA Championship With Back Injury

Vijay Singh has become the first player to withdraw from this year’s PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. 

In a statement, the PGA of America said the 58-year-old cited a back injury as the reason he couldn’t play. 

The lucky beneficiary is Wyndham Clark, who will tee it up for just the second time in a major, having missed the cut at last year’s PGA Championship. The 27-year-old finished T39 at the AT&T Byron Nelson last week.

At 7,876 yards, the longest course in major championship history, South Carolina’s famous Ocean Course is not the place to be taking any risks when it comes to injury, so Singh’s decision is an understandable one.

The Fijian plies his trade primarily on the PGA Tour Champions now and also withdrew from last week’s Mitsubishi Electric Classic midway through his third and final round.

Related: Jon Rahm on Kiawah Island test - "It's a true ball striker's golf course"

Singh, a three-time major winner and two-time PGA Champion, has a lifetime exemption into the PGA Championship but has not played since 2018. 

His two previous wins in this tournament came in 1998 at Sahalee C.C. and 2004 at Whistling Straits - this year’s Ryder Cup venue. His other major win was at the 2000 Masters.

Brandon Hagy is now the first alternate, should anyone else withdraw from this year's PGA Championship.