Jason Day withdraws from U.S. Open due to back injury

One golfer’s 2026 U.S. Open is over before it really got started.

Jason Day, the 2015 PGA Championship winner, withdrew from this year’s U.S. Open early on Thursday with a back injury. 

Day, who’s also a two-time U.S. Open runner-up, was 7 over after 10 holes and left the course in a golf cart with his caddie, Luke Reardon. 

Jason Day waves to the crowd on the 14th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club before he was forced to withdraw mid-round due to a back injury. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

The 38-year-old grimaced and struggled to turn during a practice swing on the 10th hole, which was his first hole of the day.

Day was seven-over and had six straight bogeys from holes 13-18 after starting on the back nine.

The Australian has battled multiple injuries throughout his career, including a vertigo at the 2015 U.S. Open in Chambers Bay that he played on. Thursday was the 12th time in Day’s career he withdrew due to injury. 

It was Day’s 14th U.S. Open appearance of his career, but he hadn’t produced a top-10 finish in the championship in nearly a decade.

He came in second in 2011 and registered three straight top 10s from 2014-17, but hasn’t regained that success recently. 

The former Major winner has been up-and-down in 2026 so far, coming in second at The American Express in January but struggling ever since. 

Jason Day plays a shot on the 18th hole during the first round
of the U.S.Open. Getty Images

Day tied for 12th in the Masters, but made just one start after tying for 65th in the PGA Championship and missed the cut in The Memorial two weeks ago. 

Formerly ranked No. 1, Day is now ranked 47th in the world.

Day’s immediate injury remains uncertain, and it remains to be seen whether he’ll be present for the Travelers Championship next week, the PGA Tour’s final signature event of the season.