Collin Morikawa hasn’t competed since pulling out of The Players after just one hole in Round 1. He stayed hopeful, though, grinding range sessions in hopes of a quick recovery and even announced a comeback at the Valero Texas Open, only to withdraw. It’s concerning, and Morikawa himself admitted as much at Augusta.

“The honest truth is I’m taking it day by day. It’s not exactly where I want to be, and it’s unfortunate, but that’s just the body, and I can’t push it. It’s been a little bit of a mental battle, I think, just trying to trust where it’s at. The back actually feels fine. It’s just other parts of the body not cooperating a little bit how I want,” said Morikawa, merely 48 hours before the Masters begins.

This ambiguity, coupled with his recent withdrawals, raises significant concerns about his ability to compete at a high level on a demanding course like Augusta. Morikawa completed a full warmup at Augusta on Monday, walking the back nine while pausing at each hole to chip and putt. His putting felt amazing, but putting is not the greatest concern at Augusta. Morikawa ranks 104th on the PGA Tour in SG: Putting. That surely can’t be good. Meanwhile, a team member noted his activity level should increase in the coming days.

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Since The Players, Morikawa has battled back spasms, something his team hopes won’t recur. He’s had MRIs and undergone treatments on his back, describing it as “nothing worse than before.” Morikawa has faced back troubles previously, including a final-round withdrawal from the 2023 Memorial Tournament when he sat just two shots off the lead. After his return, he posted five top 10s and missed the cut twice in his next 10 starts.

But this time, he did not reveal what body parts he is struggling with.

With full recovery off the table, how will the 2018 PGA Championship winner adapt to the Masters’ demands? It’s no foolproof strategy, but Morikawa plans to skip certain shots he’s pulled off in past years due to his physical and mental limits. Above all, he aims to avoid feeling “uncomfortable” on a beast like Augusta. That makes sense, but just because he is limited right now does not mean he is not a threat.

“It’s a work in progress. But each day just staying positive, trying to get through it,” Morikawa added.

Morikawa owns a cool Masters history: four consecutive top-15 finishes, including T14 last year. His peak was a T3 in 2024. He kicked off the year with a win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, then stayed hot, finishing T7 at The Genesis Invitational and T5 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

That was his last competitive outing, and while it may hinder his chances this time, there’s still a positive aspect: he ranks first on Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach and 11th in SG: Total. Therefore, it would be unwise to dismiss him at this stage.

What can derail his chances the most is… himself. At the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he shared, “I am one of the hardest on myself… And I am trying to dig myself out of that.” But that’s likely to do with his lack of wins since the 2023 ZOZO Championship. Mentally, as Morikawa agreed, he needs to toughen up.

On the other hand, he is hardly the only pro concerned with health issues.

Rory McIlroy is looking to make history post-back injury

“It would have sucked to be going home this afternoon. So, to hang around and hopefully play two more days, that’s a win,” Rory McIlroy stated last month at The Players (T46), a week after withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to back injury. The Players, as it happens, was the last competitive tournament he played, which means he’s had a good month off.

That can hurt his chances to become the first Masters winner to successfully defend his title after Tiger Woods. And while he has played well enough this season, his preparation has hardly been ideal. But in his last five starts at the Masters, he has also posted a top 5 finishes three times, so there’s familiarity.

But it has also forced him into a big decision. Knowing his body better than anyone else, McIlroy announced that he would probably work to cut down on his PGA Tour schedule in the coming years, which means we will get to see him miss out on more events to preserve his body, hence taking enough rest before playing the Masters.