In a surprising turn of events, Jordan Spieth was forced to withdraw from the first round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands, marking the first time in his PGA Tour career that he has exited a tournament mid-round.
The 31-year-old, who has made 297 consecutive starts without a single withdrawal, left Thursday’s opening round due to a neck and upper back injury.
Spieth played through visible discomfort for most of the day, managing 12 holes before calling it quits while 5-over-par. His round included five bogeys, and fans became increasingly concerned as he grimaced through swings and showed signs of pain.
The tipping point came after a visibly uncomfortable tee shot on the 12th hole, where he was overheard saying, “I just can’t do it,” indicating he could no longer complete his backswing.
He later explained that the pain began when he woke up and worsened during the round, despite undergoing treatment beforehand. Spieth described the discomfort as stemming from his neck and scapula, and admitted that it affected his ability to rotate properly through the ball.
Injury halts momentum during a season of rebuilding
Spieth’s decision to withdraw comes during a season in which he’s been working to reestablish his form. While he hasn’t won since the 2022 RBC Heritage, he’s shown flashes of his old self with eight top-25 finishes this year.
That includes a tie for 23rd at the U.S. Open just last week and a seventh-place finish at The Memorial Tournament in May.
Though he has yet to return to the dominant form that won him three majors-The Masters and U.S. Open in 2015, and The Open Championship in 2017-there’s been steady progress. Heading into the Travelers, Spieth was ranked No. 44 in the Official World Golf Ranking and appeared to be building momentum.
The timing of this injury is unfortunate, especially given the Travelers Championship is one of the PGA Tour’s signature events, featuring a no-cut format and a $20 million purse.
However, with his wife expecting their second child soon, Spieth already planned to take some time off, which may now serve as a much-needed recovery window.
While the severity of the injury remains unclear, Spieth is hopeful that rest will allow him to return quickly. For fans and analysts alike, the big question is whether this setback is temporary-or a lingering issue that could derail the rest of his season.
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