Just days before Royal Birkdale opened its gates for the 154th Open Championship, a LIV Golf contender forcefully withdrew from the biggest week of his season. Elvis Smylie will not be teeing up, and the news comes as a gut punch to his 2026 campaign. The Ripper GC teammate confirmed his withdrawal from the final major in a social media post, citing a rib injury that has sidelined him indefinitely.

“It is with great disappointment that I have to confirm that, due to a rib injury that has been causing me some discomfort, my medical team has advised me to take an extended break from golf to undergo the rehabilitation needed to return to full fitness. Unfortunately, this means I have had to withdraw from all upcoming events, including the Open Championship. It’s an incredibly difficult decision, but it’s the right one to ensure I don’t aggravate the injury any further and can come back fully fit,” Smylie’s statement read.

“I’d like to thank the Ripper team, LIV Golf, and the DP World Tour for their understanding and support throughout this process. I’ll be doing everything I can to get back as soon as possible, and I look forward to seeing everyone again soon.”

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Elvis Smylie announced a rib injury has forced “an extended break” which includes withdrawing from The Open. Brutal. pic.twitter.com/3coUvwbur7

Reports suggest the rib injury had been troubling him for some time before Smylie made the announcement. That said, it’s a familiar type of injury in golf, where the repetitive rotational strain of the swing can aggravate the rib cage for over four months rather than a single moment.

Xander Schauffele dealt with a similar rib issue last year that kept him out of PGA Tour action for 57 days. That said, the timing of the injury could not have been worse for the 24-year-old Australian. He had missed the cut in his last two appearances. This was his third straight trip to The Open, having earned his spot with the top finish on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai list.

Smylie opened 2026 with a career highlight: he edged Jon Rahm for his first LIV Golf title in Riyadh. Since then, he has managed one top-10 finish. He finished T75 in his lone major start this year at the PGA Championship. However, he failed to qualify for either the Masters or the U.S. Open.

Apart from Smylie, Phil Mickelson will also not be teeing up for the Claret Jug. He was sidelined for most of last season and this year due to a family health matter. Mickelson has missed all four majors this year for the first time in his career.

Now only 12 LIV players will be on the field, including Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Tyrrell Hatton.