Jason Day: Why did Jason Day WD from the 2025 Player’s Championship?

Why did Jason Day WD from the 2025 Player’s Championship?

Modified Mar 13, 2025 17:21 GMT

PGA: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard - Third Round - Source: Imagn — Jason Day at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Source: Imagn)

Jason Day withdrew from the ongoing Players Championship before his first round on Thursday after reportedly coming down with an illness. The ace golfer was set to tee off at 8:46 am ET.

Day pulled out of the Players Championship hours before his tee time. He was paired with Wyndham Clark and Jordan Spieth for the opening round. Danny Walker replaced him. This marks the 29-year-old's Players Championship debut.

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Jason Day was last seen at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week. He finished eighth, marking one of his best performances in the quite some time. After struggling with his form for several years, the 2016 Players Championship winner had made a spectacular comeback from his dry spell by winning the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson. It was his first win in five years.

The Australian golfer will miss out on a share of the massive $25M prize purse that the Players Championship is set to offer. The winner will get to take home a hefty $4M cash prize.

So far, Alex Smalley, Lucas Glover, and Aaron Rai are leading the standings in the ongoing Round 1 (at the time of this writing). The Players Championship will wrap up on Sunday, March 16.

Often dubbed as the 'fifth Major', the event features a star-studded field including top golfers such as Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas etc. Scheffler is the defending champion of the tournament and will look to retain his title this week.

How is Jason Day's replacement Danny Walker performing at the Players Championship?

After Jason Day pulled out of the Players Championship, Danny Walker stepped in to take his place.

Put in the heavyweight group with Jordan Spieth and Wyndham Clark, the golfer made an easy par on the 10th to start his campaign at the 'fifth Major'. He appeared confident making his start during his debut itself. Playing on the par-4 13th hole on Thursday, Walker dug himself out of the rough to record a stunning birdie.

At the time of writing, the US golfer was placed T29 with a total score of even par. Jordan Spieth is T4 with a total score of 3-under and Wyndham Clark is T18 with a total score of 1-under.

The PGA Tour will head to the Copperhead Course at the Innisbrook Resort next week for the Valspar Championship. Although nothing is confirmed yet, Jason Day could possibly participate there next week.

About the author

Ira Deokule is a dedicated sports journalist at Sportskeeda, specializing in Golf and other sports such as swimming, bodybuilding, gymnastics, and track and field. With a post-graduate degree in Media and Communication Studies from DMCS, SPPU, Pune, and a specialization in Video Production, she combines her academic background with practical experience as a national-level track and field athlete.

Ira's journalistic journey includes freelancing for FirstSportz during the Tokyo Olympics, where her articles gained significant recognition. She prioritizes accuracy and ethics, relying on verified sources and personal expertise to provide insightful, engaging content. Her unique perspective as an athlete enriches her understanding of sports dynamics, allowing her to write with neutrality and respect for her subjects.

Outside of journalism, Ira enjoys writing creative pieces, reading, dancing, and exploring filmmaking. She draws inspiration from trailblazing female golfers like Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko, whose achievements have elevated the visibility of women's golf. Ira aspires to cover iconic events like The Masters and is interested in the evolving landscape of golf, including the impact of LIV Golf.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl