Five holes, and that was all it took for a season that started with the high of his 2025 U.S. Open win to end with J.J. Spaun leaving the course in a golf cart. PGA Tour Communications confirmed the news on X Thursday, saying Spaun withdrew from the first round of the TOUR Championship because of a shoulder injury.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Spaun withdrew after hitting his tee shot on the par-5 sixth hole at East Lake Golf Club. He was four over par after five holes, with two bogeys and a double bogey already on his scorecard. PGA Tour rules official Mark Dusbabek gave the update during Golf Channel’s coverage. He said he did not have details about the injury at the time. Spaun and his caddie were later seen riding away from the sixth hole together.
Spaun told reporters afterward and explained exactly how the week went wrong. “I woke up Tuesday morning with like a little sharp pain in my right shoulder blade,” he said to the press. “It’s actually kind of — it’s happened to me before, but it’s never persisted this long. Me and my physio, we kind of worked through it and hit some balls Tuesday. It flared up pretty bad. I couldn’t play any holes after hitting balls for about 45 minutes.” That flare-up never fully settled, and by the time he reached the sixth tee on Thursday, the pain was severe enough to end his day.
Spaun entered the week ranked No. 22 in the FedExCup after a difficult finish at the BMW Championship, where he was in contention after two rounds but fell back with rounds of 72 and 73 to finish tied for 22nd. His withdrawal from East Lake cost him any chance to recover after that weak BMW finish.
Spaun had finished 21st in the season-long points race before the reset, and had earned just over $5 million this season after winning the Valero Texas Open in April — his third PGA Tour victory. His withdrawal leaves him 30th in the FedExCup — the final qualifying spot in the season-ending standings.
The bigger concern is the Presidents Cup. Spaun is 10th on the U.S. points list and was considered a strong candidate for one of Brandt Snedeker’s six captain’s picks, which were set to be finalized this Wednesday. That timing could not be worse for Spaun. He had built a strong case for a spot on the team, but now the injury could make Snedeker’s decision much harder.
Spaun made his Ryder Cup debut in fall 2025 at Bethpage Black after winning the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. A spot on the Presidents Cup team looked like the next big step for him.
With Spaun sidelined, Min Woo Lee played his opening round without a playing partner. Elsewhere in the field, Rory McIlroy entered the week chasing a record fourth FedExCup title.
Spaun said he would rather stop playing than risk making the injury worse.
The big question now is whether Spaun will be healthy enough to make the Presidents Cup team at Medinah. That decision will be one of the main things to watch over the next few days.