Justin Thomas, who won the PGA Championship two years ago at Quail Hollow, withdrew from the 101st edition of the PGA at Bethpage Black on Monday due to a right wrist injury.
Kelly Kraft will fill Thomas’ spot in the tournament, which begins with Thursday’s first round.
In a tweet, Thomas said his wrist is not yet fully healed.
“Obviously, as a past champion, this tournament is extra special to me. It consistently has the strongest field in golf and I’m disappointed to not be among those competing this year but I’m optimistic about a return in the near future,” he wrote on Twitter.
Thomas won his first major at Quail Hollow in Charlotte by two strokes ahead of runners-up Francesco Molinari, Louis Oosthuizen and Patrick Reed. His dad, Mike Thomas, is a longtime pro at Harmony Landing, which is outside Justin’s hometown of Louisville.
Thomas’ best result this season was second at the Genesis Open in February. He also finished third in the Waste Management Phoenix Open and the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
He injured his wrist and shoulder in March while hitting a tree when trying to hit a shot at the Honda Classic. Thomas considered withdrawing from the Honda Classic, but played through the discomfort, finishing T-30.
The 26-year-old is coming off a T-12 finish at the Masters where he finished 8-under 280. Thomas, the winner of nine PGA Tour titles, is No. 5 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Thomas’ withdrawal from the PGA means there will be 99 of the world’s top 100 players playing in the event.
Less than 24 hours after Thomas withdrew, tournament officials announced Tuesday morning Vijay Singh had withdrawn with a back injury.
