Jordan Spieth withdrew from the Travelers Championship during the first round on Thursday, something he had never done before in his PGA Tour career, due to a neck and back injury.
The 31-year-old exited the tournament at hole 13 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
At the time of his withdrawal, he was five over after 12 holes. This marks a notable moment, especially being his 297th PGA Tour event.
“Everything was great in my gym sessions, and I was really excited to play. I felt like things were improving. But then my neck went stiff, almost like something locked up mid-warmup,” Spieth explained, as reported by the PGA Tour website.
“It was bothering me on both sides of my back. I finished my warm-up early and went back to see the physio on the range. I just wasn’t moving properly. It was painful,” he added, referring to the challenges he faced, including a difficult bunker shot.
Spieth, who previously won this tournament in 2017, described the injuries as unexpected and random.
He recently made a comeback after undergoing wrist surgery that sidelined him for half of the 2024 season.
This year, Spieth has achieved eight finishes in the top 25, which is impressive considering this was his 10th outing in just 12 weeks.
“I felt really strong and confident heading into the tournament. Everything pointed towards it being a great event. It’s tough to have this happen,” he said.
Scotty Schaeffler and Austin Eckrote led after the first round, both scoring an impressive 8-under 62.
