U.S. Open Injury News & Player Notes
This column will provide any field updates, injury news, and other player notes in the days leading up to the U.S. Open.
Field Changes (+): Bastien Amat was added to the field over the weekend.
Field Changes (+): Emiliano Grillo, Pablo Larrazabal, and Adam Schenk were added to the field over the weekend.
Field Changes (+): Michael Kim and Maxwell Moldovan were added to the field on Monday.
INJURY REPORT (as of 2pm ET, 6/14):
Collin Morikawa (back) -- IN
June 14th Update: Morikawa was seen practicing at LACC Wednesday ahead of the U.S. Open.
June 13th Update: Morikawa said during his Tuesday press conference that he's swining pain-free after rest and rehab for a few days following his WD from the Memorial on June 4th. He added that he would be taking precautions when bending down to tee up his ball at the U.S. Open.
"There's no pain swinging right now, which is great. I might be teeing it up kind of weirdly this week, so don't take too much into that, but it's just precautionary. I think we do so much leaning on the back, bending over, that I've just built in bad movement patterns...It's being able to make sure I bend properly from the hip rather than putting too much stress...I've hit out of rough, I've hit out of bunkers, no pain."
June 12th Update: Morikawa was seen practicing at LACC Monday ahead of the U.S. Open.
Morikawa withdrew prior to his final round tee time at the Memorial Tournament on June 4th due to a back injury. He suffered back spasms while warming up ahead of his round at Muirfield Village and pulled out of the tournament shortly before his tee time.
After withdrawing, Morikawa confirmed that the injury occurred to the muscle in his lower back and happened while reaching down to pick something up ("reflex stuff") during his pre-round warm-up Sunday.
This was an unfortunate result for Morikawa who had put himself in contention with a chance to win on Sunday at Muirfield Village. Afterward, Morikawa said he believed two weeks would be plenty of time to recover. Nonetheless, it will be important to track his health status in the days leading up to the start of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
Jordan Spieth (wrist) -- IN
June 13th Update: Spieth was seen practicing again at LACC Tuesday without wearing any sort of brace or wrap around his left wrist and no KT tape on his forearm.
June 12th Update: Spieth was seen practicing at LACC Monday without wearing any sort of brace or wrap around his left wrist and no KT tape on his forearm.
Spieth enters this week's U.S. Open coming off a T5 finish at the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago. That impressive finish came just a week after missing the cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge for the first time in his career.
Following his final round at the PGA Championship on May 21st, Spieth said he still planned to play in both the Charles Schwab Challenge and the Memorial Tournament despite a wrist injury that put his status in serious doubt at Oak Hill. According to Spieth, the injury has been healing very fast and considers it nothing major.
All things considered, Spieth played surprisingly well at the PGA Championship. His scores got better as the week went on (73-72-71-69) and Spieth ultimately finished T29 for the event. Spieth played the entire week with his wrist wrapped and KT tape down his forearm. By the end of the Memorial Tournament (June 4th), Spieth was playing with just some sort of wrap or protective brace around his left wrist.
Throughout the PGA Championship, Spieth expressed that he was having no issues with his regular golf swing and swinging at full speed. This was a quote after R3 on May 20th:
"My normal swings, it's not an issue. It's just when you start getting bunker lips and stuff like that, and you've got to really flick under a flop shot or a bunker shot, I had that today where I just don't have the confidence in it not making it worse, so I just bail a little bit. I probably cost myself a few shots on that. But coming in, I kind of figured that might be the cast."
It'll be important to look for updates this week on Spieth's injury prior to the start of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
Hideki Matsuyama (neck) -- IN
June 14th Update: Matsuyama was seen practicing at LACC Wednesday ahead of the U.S. Open.
June 12th Update: Matsuyama was seen practicing at LACC Monday ahead of the U.S. Open.
Matsuyama enters this week's U.S. Open coming off a T16 finish two weeks ago at the Memorial Tournament. Nonetheless, Matsuyama's neck injury continues to be an issue to monitor week-to-week and any time he tees it up in an event.
According to a statement from PGA Tour Communications on April 28th, Matsuyama returned home to Japan after The Masters in order to receive treatment for his neck. However, according to the statement, Matsuyama's neck had not improved enough for him to compete at Quail Hollow.
Matsuyama ultimately returned to action at the AT&T Byron Nelson (May 11th-14th) after missing the Wells Fargo Championship. He finished T23 after shooting a final round 66 (-5) at TPC Craig Ranch.
Matsuyama has dealt with this neck issue intermittently for the past two seasons. When healthy this season, Matsuyama has played some solid golf--making the cut in each of his last six starts and finishing T29 or better in all of them.
All that said, Matsuyama's neck issue will continue to be something to monitor in the days leading up to the start of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
Jason Day (wrist) -- IN
June 13th Update: Day was seen practicing again at LACC Wednesday ahead of the U.S. Open.
June 13th Update: Day was seen practicing again at LACC Tuesday ahead of the U.S. Open.
Additionally, news surfaced on Tuesday that Day would be switching to new irons for the U.S. Open this week.
"They're literally two days old...It's not like I wasn't happy with (TaylorMade P7MC) irons; I obviously just won with them, but I noticed they were coming out a bit low, and the spin was low. The P7TWs spin more."
June 12th Update: Day was seen practicing at LACC Monday ahead of the U.S. Open.
News of a wrist injury surfaced on May 31st, just a day prior to the start of the Memorial Tournament.
Day went on to miss the cut at the Memorial Tournament, and now enters this week's U.S. Open having missed the cut in each of his two previous starts (though he did win the AT&T Byron Nelson about a month ago).
There haven't been many details about Day's wrist issue other than him believing it to be a bone bruise.
Day practicing on Monday at LACC is at least a positive sign, barring any setback, that he plans to compete this week at the U.S. Open and that the injury is likely not major. Nonetheless, it'll be important to keep an eye out for any updates that may come in the days leading up to the start of the tournament on Thursday.
Rickie Fowler (back) -- IN
June 13th Update: Fowler was seen practicing again at LACC Wednesday ahead of the U.S. Open.
June 13th Update: Fowler was seen practicing again at LACC Tuesday ahead of the U.S. Open.
June 12th Update: Fowler was seen practicing at LACC Monday ahead of the U.S. Open.
According to a social media post, Fowler said his lower back tightened up on Sunday morning during warmup before the final round of the Memorial Tournament (June 4th). The issue appears to be very minor as Fowler went on to finish T9 at Muirfield Village after shooting 72 (E) in the final round. Per Fowler's Instagram post, he's had over a week to recover with cold water immersion and contrast therapy.
Fowler practicing on Monday at LACC is a positive sign that everything is likely fine and that this lower back issue is not a serious concern for him.
Tiger Woods (ankle, foot) -- OUT
Woods announced on April 19th that he underwent a subtalar fusion procedure to address his post-traumatic arthritis from a previous talus fracture. He is currently recovering and looks forward to beginning his rehabilitation.
The 15-time major champion withdrew in his most recent start at The Masters, citing a reaggravation of his plantar fasciitis after being seen walking with a noticeably worse limp during the third round. In February, Woods expressed his goal to play in all of the major championships this year. However, given this news of another ankle surgery and upcoming rehab, expectations should be tempered for Woods' chances at playing in the next three majors.
May 22nd update: Woods officially withdrew from the U.S. Open on May 22nd, and there's currently no official timetable for his return.
Will Zalatoris (back) -- OUT FOR SEASON
Zalatoris announced on his Instagram account on April 10th that he underwent successful surgery on his back and will now miss the rest of the season.
Zalatoris withdrew just prior to his first-round tee time at The Masters. As it turns out, Zalatoris was dealing with the same back issues (herniated discs) that caused him to be out for the last four months of 2022. Zalatoris has had a very promising start to his career, winning his first PGA Tour event last summer at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, but will now miss at least another five months following a microdiscectomy.
I've seen some confusion out there–this is the first time Zalatoris had back surgery. He did NOT have surgery in 2022 for this issue.
May 22nd update: Zalatoris announced on the ESPN broadcast during last week's PGA Championship that he feels pain-free for the first time in two years following back surgery. He's targeting a September return to the PGA Tour.
Daniel Berger (back) -- OUT
Berger remains sidelined from a back injury that has kept him out since the 2022 U.S. Open. The most recent update suggested he could return sometime in May but that is looking less likely as the month comes to an end. Berger tried to play through this injury last season but said “that was definitely not the answer.” Instead, Berger has opted to take a more patient approach in his recovery.
MAY 2ND UPDATE:
This article from AP News provides background and insight into the back injury Berger has been dealing with for the past year. In the article, Berger notes that it's not a career-ending injury but knows it'll be a challenge to get back to where he was as a top player in the world.
Berger has been posting clips on his Instagram account of him swinging a golf club, suggesting that his return could come soon though there is no official date or tournament that he's committed to yet.
JUNE 6TH UPDATE:
Berger was originally slated to compete in one of the U.S. Open final qualifiers on Monday (June 5th) as he was given a tee time for the qualifier in Boynton Beach, Florida but withdrew a couple of days prior.
Jhonattan Vegas (elbow) -- OUT
Vegas announced on his personal Twitter account on April 27th that he suffered an elbow injury related to the one that plagued him last year. He underwent surgery in April of 2022, and then later in the year Vegas opted to take the entire Fall portion of the PGA Tour schedule off due to this recurrent injury.
The 38-year-old has not played in a PGA Tour event since the Valspar Championship last month. Vegas said the recovery is taking longer than he expected but is working hard to return as soon as possible.
Kevin Yu (knee) -- OUT
Yu competed in the U.S. Open final qualifier in Los Angeles on Monday (June 5th). This was Yu's first competitive rounds since undergoing surgery on February 20th for a torn meniscus.
The rookie was having an excellent first season on the PGA Tour with seven made cuts in 10 starts, one top-5 finish, and two top-10 finishes. In his last start before the injury, Yu finished T7 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
It appears that Yu is likely nearing a return to the PGA Tour though no official date is set.
Erik Barnes (knee) -- OUT
Barnes underwent knee surgery on April 3rd and is without a timetable for his return to the PGA Tour.
The 35-year-old rookie posted on Twitter that he was having reconstructive surgery on his MPFL and a repair of his MCL. Barnes said he's battled knee subluxation issues for the last couple of years which have worsened over the past few weeks. According to Barnes' social media post, the surgery was successful but he expects a long road in his recovery and eventual return to the PGA Tour.
John Huh (elbow tendinitis) -- OUT
Huh has yet to play in an event in 2023 due to elbow tendinitis. His last start came at The RSM Classic (November 20th, 2022).
Philip Knowles (hand) -- OUT
Knowles announced on his Instagram account on May 1st that he severed a nerve in his thumb on February 1st, underwent surgery on February 24th, and started swinging a golf club again on April 14th.
He noted that (as of May 1st) he's nearly back to full function but "range of motion is limited due to scar tissue" and "lack of sensation in the outside part of my thumb."
Knowles was originally listed in the field for the RBC Canadian Open but pulled out of it over the weekend.
Other Player News:
Charley Hoffman -- IN
Hoffman withdrew from last week's RBC Canadian Open on June 6th after earning a spot in the U.S. Open through final qualifying.
He has not played in an event since the AT&T Byron Nelson in mid-May.
Davis Thompson -- IN
Thompson withdrew from last week's RBC Canadian Open on June 6th after earning a spot in the U.S. Open through final qualifying.
He finished T56 in his most recent start at the Memorial Tournament.
Luke List -- IN
List withdrew from the RBC Canadian Open on June 5th after he got into the U.S. Open through final qualifying.
He finished T16 in his most recent start at Memorial Tournament and led the field in birdies made.
Taylor Moore -- IN
Moore withdrew from the Memorial Tournament on May 29th, a few days before the start of the event. No reason was given for Moore's decision to WD from the event. Moore missed the cut in his most recent start at the Charles Schwab Challenge and finished T72 the week prior to that at the PGA Championship.
Moore is currently expected to tee it up this week at the U.S. Open.
Sam Stevens -- IN
Stevens withdrew from the RBC Canadian Open on Monday after he got into the U.S. Open through final qualifying. He finished T41 at last week's Memorial Tournament.
LIV Golf Player News (No LIV event this week):
Martin Kaymer (wrist) -- IN
Kaymer withdrew from the PGA Championship on May 12th. After undergoing wrist surgery last November, Kaymer did not yet feel like he was ready to compete for 3 weeks in a row.
"I don't think I will be able to play 3 weeks in a row after the [offseason wrist] surgery...I'm playing good. It's just a matter of I would like to go there with the mindset of I can actually win the golf tournament. I don't have that yet. I have not been practicing at all for the last six months. I've only been putting and chipping and I only hit golf shots during the tournament. So that is not enough to beat the best player in the world."
Kaymer returned at the LIV Washington DC event (May 26th-28th) and finished 25th.
He's expected to tee it up this week at the U.S. Open.
Thomas Pieters (undisclosed) -- IN
June 13th Update: Pieters was seen practicing at LACC Tuesday ahead of the U.S. Open.
Pieters withdrew prior to the third round of LIV Washington DC with an undisclosed injury on May 28th. There have been no updates on his health status since then.
He's currently listed in the field for this week's U.S. Open and is expected to tee it up at LACC.
Matthew Wolff (undisclosed) -- OUT
Wolff withdrew prior to the third round of LIV Washington DC with an undisclosed injury on May 28th. Following LIV DC, rumors have been swirling about Wolff's status on in the league. He was removed from certain aspects of his team's social media pages, suggesting that he could be seeking a trade to another LIV team.
He also withdrew prior to his U.S. Open final qualifier tee time on Monday (June 5th).
Jason Kokrak (undisclosed) -- NOT IN FIELD
Kokrak withdrew prior to the second round of LIV Washington DC with an undisclosed injury on May 27th. There have been no updates on his health status since then.
He is not in the field for this week's U.S. Open.
Paul Casey (knee, toe) -- NOT IN FIELD
Casey withdrew from the PGA Championship on May 16th due to toe and knee injuries. He reaggravated pre-existing injuries after trying new golf shoes recently. He was also out for last week's LIV Washington DC event.
According to teammate Bryson DeCheambeau on May 24th, "His feet have been hurting him a little bit...He's in a place where he's recovering, and he'll be good in a couple weeks he told me, so no issues with that."
Casey is not in the field for the U.S. Open.
Lee Westwood (knee) -- NOT IN FIELD
Westwood withdrew prior to the final round of LIV Tulsa on May 14th due to a medial ligament strain that occurred while running on a treadmill before round two. He said on Twitter on Monday that he feels "good and ready" for LIV DC after rehabbing his injury for the past week.
Westwood returned at LIV DC (May 26th-28th) and finished 36th.
He's not in the field for this week's U.S. Open.
Hudson Swafford (hip) -- NOT IN FIELD
Swafford underwent surgery on February 20th with the expectation that he would miss 4-6 months. He was seen swinging on the driving range in an Instagram post on May 4th.
Sam Horsfield (hip) -- NOT IN FIELD
Horsfield underwent surgery on May 10th and is expected to miss "a few months" according to a post on his Twitter account.
