Justin Thomas has withdrawn from the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut. He tweeted that he “decided to WD to treat and rest my back, which I tweaked earlier this week.”
Thomas, the PGA Championship winner in May, was scheduled to play in the pro-am this morning at TPC River Highlands but pulled out to rest his injury and initially remained in the tournament. But on second thought, he withdrew with an abundance of caution.
“Just making sure I get it taken care of and ready for the rest of the PGA season as planned. Hate to be missing one of the best/my favorite events,” he wrote of the Travelers Championship.
Thomas, 29, is ranked No. 5 in the world and finished T-37 last week at the U.S. Open (T-37) and after he contended at the RBC Canadian Open the week prior, finishing third. He had made seven previous starts at the Travelers, recording one top-10 finish.
He was replaced in the tournament by Japan’s Satoshi Kodaira.
Thomas sent his tweet “before the rumors start flying,” to prevent any confusion that he might be joining LIV Golf. Brooks Koepka withdrew from the Travelers late Tuesday night and is reportedly the latest prominent player to quit PGA Tour for a massive payday from LIV Golf, the Saudi Arabia-backed upstart circuit.