ESPN Golf: Jason Day Exits U.S. Open Mid-Round with Back Injury
Jason Day, 38, was forced to withdraw from the 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club during the opening round on Thursday, citing a back injury. He was 7 over par after completing 10 holes before departing in a golf cart with caddie Luke Reardon.
How It Unfolded
Day's struggles were visible from early on. On the 10th hole — his first of the day — he appeared to grimace and had difficulty rotating through his practice swing. He then made six consecutive Bogeys from holes 13 through 18, ultimately triggering the withdrawal decision.
Season Context
Day entered the week with some promising momentum: a runner-up finish at the American Express and a T12 at the Masters earlier in the year. However, a T65 at the PGA Championship followed by a missed cut at the Memorial two weeks ago had already cast doubt on his form heading into this major. The two-time U.S. Open runner-up now sits at No. 47 in the world rankings, a far cry from his former peak at No. 1.
Strokeslab Perspective
Six straight Bogeys on the back nine rarely signal a technique breakdown alone — physical limitations clearly compounded Day's scoring problems here. From an SG standpoint, this kind of Bogey cascade typically reflects simultaneous deterioration across SG: APP and SG: ATG, and it will be worth tracking his numbers closely whenever he returns to competition.
Day's withdrawal is a textbook case of physical limitation cascading into scoring collapse — and his SG splits upon return will offer a revealing before-and-after comparison of how back health directly impacts shot-making efficiency across all phases of the game.