Major champion withdraws from Rocket Classic with FedEx Cup Playoffs hopes hanging by a thread

Jason Day has withdrawn from this week’s Rocket Classic due to a recurring back injury, leaving his hopes of qualifying for the FedEx Cup Playoffs hanging in the balance.

The Australian also pulled out of last week’s 3M Open because of the same issue and has now missed consecutive PGA Tour events as he battles another setback in a career-long fight with back problems.

Day, a 13-time PGA Tour winner and the 2015 US PGA champion, has dealt with fitness concerns throughout much of his career but appeared to have overcome his back struggles in recent seasons.

But the 38-year-old was forced to withdraw from last month’s U.S. Open after just 10 holes with the same back problem. 

He then finished tied 55th at the Travelers Championship at the end of last month and then missed the cut at The Open at Royal Birkdale earlier this month. 

Day's latest withdrawal is a further blow to his FedEx Cup hopes, with him dropping two places to 74th in the standings after last week’s 3M Open WD.

Only the top 70 players qualify for next month's FedEx St Jude Championship, the opening event of the Playoffs, meaning Day now faces a race against time to recover ahead of next week’s Wyndham Championship — his final opportunity to move into playoff position. 

Day’s season started strongly with a joint runner-up finish at The American Express, while he also recorded a tied 12th finish at The Masters in April.

However, he has struggled to build momentum since, with his only other top-10 finish coming at the Texas Children’s Houston Open in March. 

Day's best result since the first major of the season is a tied 38th finish at the Truist Championship in early May.

Currently ranked 59th in the world, the former World No.1 will hope his back issue can be managed quickly enough to give him one final chance to extend his season.

The PGA Tour has confirmed Hayden Springer has replaced Day in the Rocket Classic field. 

Springer, currently 132nd in the FedEx Cup standings, needs a strong performance at Detroit Golf Club to boost his own playoff hopes.

Maverick McNealy, Keith Mitchell and Dan Brown have also withdrawn from the Rocket Classic, with Matt Kuchar, Lanto Griffin and Zac Blair taking their places.

Despite losing Day to the field, the Rocket Classic still features one of its strongest ever lineups. 

Rory Mcllroy and Scottie Scheffler might not be in town, but rising star Jackson Koivun arrives looking to win back-to-back PGA Tour titles after claiming his first win in just his third professional start at the 3M Open on Sunday. 

The victory came in Koivun's 13th ever start on the PGA Tour, which puts him ahead of the likes of Scheffler, McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau in the record books. 

The win sees Koivun rocket up the OWGR. 

Other notable names competing in the Rocket Classic include Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Young, Russell Henley, Wyndham Clark, Si Woo Kim and Patrick Cantlay.