Major champion forced out of The PLAYERS

Jason Day has been forced to withdraw just before the start of The PLAYERS Championship.

The former world No.1 pulled out due to illness before Thursday’s tee time at TPC Sawgrass and has been replaced in the field on the eve of the tournament by American Danny Walker.

Such news will come as a blow to both Day and event organisers, given the Australian’s mini-resurgence in recent times and his popularity on the course as a past champion in 2016.

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Day finished T8 at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and after a T3 finish at the American Express at the start of the year, had been backed by many observants to challenge for his first PGA Tour win since May 2023.

Day has been hitting the headlines for his loud choice of Malbon clothing on the fairways, but told Garrett Johnston’s Beyond The Clubhouse podcast that he still isn’t sure whether Augusta National will approve the company’s “bold” scripting for him at next month’s Masters.

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“So, we have to get clearance on the scripting this year,” Day said. “To Malbon’s credit, they’ve got some bold stuff, but I’m not sure it will pass.

“So, we’ll see how it goes. Hopefully, they’ll say yes, and if not, we’ll be going back to the drawing board and coming up with something different.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.