Since joining the PGA Tour in 2017, Seamus Power has claimed two victories. At one point, he looked poised to turn a promising start at the $8.8 million John Deere Classic into a low round to help him be on his path to clinch his third title. But a few holes later, his scorecard told a completely different story. Now, his decision to withdraw from the event after Round 1 reveals the reason behind the sudden performance change.

“Seamus Power WD after the first round of the John Deere Classic with a back injury,” the PGA Tour wrote in an X post.

The Irishman has made the cut in only 10 of the 14 starts he has had this season. Of them, he managed a top 10 finish only once at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, while playing alongside Matti Schmid. However, he was looking better than just steady early in the round. He started with a birdie on the 1st and then rolled in another one on the par-4 8th. He was two under par after the front nine.

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Things took a turn for the worse for the Irish professional since then. He hit two consecutive bogeys on the 10th and 11th, breaking him even at that point. However, his struggles became apparent towards the end of the round. Seamus Power hit three back-to-back double bogeys on holes 15, 16, and 17.

On the 15th and 16th, his drives were much shorter than average and veered towards the left. He had to take penalty drops because of that. Then, on the 17th, he again pulled it left, got a free drop, but then failed to get the chip shot correct. This resulted in an opening round of six-over 77.

While Seamus Power was struggling with his back injury, Lucas Glover, who won the event in 2021, and Zac Blair took an early lead with a round of 8-under 63. With low numbers being almost a prerequisite at TPC Deere Run, the Irish golfer’s six-over 77 had put him out of contention even before the withdrawal.

This follows a pattern of physical problems the two-time PGA Tour winner has faced since 2023. He has been suffering from both back and hip injuries since then. During the 2024 RSM Classic, for instance, he withdrew citing a back injury. Then, in June 2025, he withdrew after playing just nine holes at the RBC Canadian Open because of the same issue.

Power chose to complete the round despite visible scoring damage. However, he pulled out once it became clear his back wouldn’t let him compete over four days. Calculating this risk-reward equation is important, especially for someone like Power, who is facing recurring injuries. There are many examples in the golf world to show how injuries can derail a professional’s career. Tiger Woods is a clear example of the same.

However, efficient management of the injury is key here. Consider Jason Day, who has had 12 withdrawals in his professional career because of injuries. His back problems started when he was just 13 years old. But with proper management, he continues to play the sport and has won 13 PGA Tour titles so far, including the 2015 PGA Championship.

Seamus Power’s withdrawal adds another setback to a stretch of recurring back problems. His focus will now shift toward returning healthy and avoiding another prolonged interruption to his campaign.