PGA Tour star forced out of PGA Championship just before first round

PGA Tour star Sahith Theegala has been forced to withdraw from the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club due to a neck injury. 

The WD for Theegala, 27, marks his second in a row on the PGA Tour.

Theegala withdrew prior to the start of the $20m Truist Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club last week. 

The one-time PGA Tour winner knew he was in a race against time to be fully fit but unfortunately he has not been able to sort his neck pain on the eve of golf's second major of the season. 

Theegala has been replaced in the PGA Championship field by compatriot Alex Smalley. 

Smalley joins last week's Truist champion Sepp Straka and Max McGreevy for the opening two rounds of the PGA Championship. 

Straka won for the second time on the PGA Tour last weekend.

The Austrian now joins Rory McIlroy as the only other multiple winner on the PGA Tour in 2025. 

Straka, McGreevy and Smalley tee off on Thursday at 7.27am local time. 

Check out the full R1 / R2 PGA Tee Times.

Theegala won his sole PGA Tour title to date at the Fortinet Championship in September 2023. 

Despite a solid enough season in 2024, Theegala has struggled badly for form in 2025.

Theegala has chalked up just one top-20 finish in 13 tournaments so far this season. 

As a result he has fallen out of the world's top 15 to a current 31st. 

Smalley, meanwhile, enters the PGA Championship off an impressive T5 at last week's Myrtle Beach Classic.

That was only the second top-10 of his season. 

Smalley is making his third PGA Championship appearance in a row.

He finished T23 in 2023 and missed the cut in 2024. 

This will be Smalley's fourth major appearance.