Golf is a weird game. One day you’re "hugging trees" and talking about being unflappable after a win, and a few months later, you're walking off the course in the middle of a major championship while the internet speculates about your mental state. That’s basically the whirlwind year Patton Kizzire has had. If you saw the headlines about the PGA Championship Patton Kizzire withdrawal, you might have thought it was just another standard "undisclosed injury" exit.
But it wasn't. Not really.
To understand why Kizzire’s departure from Quail Hollow in May 2025 caused such a stir, you have to look at the baggage he brought into the week. Kizzire didn't just walk off; he left a trail of questions about whether his body or his patience gave out first. Honestly, it was the first withdrawal of the 2025 PGA Championship, and it couldn't have come at a more chaotic time for the three-time PGA Tour winner.
The Quail Hollow Exit: A Friday to Forget
Friday mornings at a major are supposed to be about the grind. You’re fighting for the weekend. Kizzire started his second round at Quail Hollow already behind the 8-ball after a 3-over par 74 on Thursday. He needed a low one. He needed magic.
Instead, he got a nightmare.
Through his first six holes on Friday, Kizzire went 6-over par. Think about that for a second. In the span of about ninety minutes, any hope of making the cut evaporated. He was sitting at 9-over for the tournament. By the time he reached the par-5 10th hole, he’d seen enough. After finishing the hole, he shook hands with his playing partners—Matt McCarty and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen—and headed for the parking lot.
The official word? Injury. The PGA Championship communications team was vague. They usually are. They simply posted that he withdrew due to an unspecified injury. But because of what happened earlier in the season at the Valspar Championship, fans on social media weren't exactly buying the "bad back" or "sore wrist" excuse. They saw a guy who was playing poorly and decided he’d had enough.
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The "Putter Punt" That Changed the Narrative
Why was everyone so skeptical? Because of the Valspar.
Earlier in 2025, Kizzire became a viral sensation for all the wrong reasons. At the Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course, Kizzire’s frustration boiled over in a way we rarely see from professionals. After missing a short par putt on the 15th hole, he didn't just sigh or roll his eyes. He dropkicked his putter.
He didn't just nudge it, either. He got real hang time on that thing.
The kick damaged the shaft of the club, forcing him to finish the hole by putting with a wedge. Shortly after that outburst, he withdrew from the Valspar citing a "back injury." It was a moment of pure, raw human frustration. He later apologized on Instagram, saying he "lost his cool" and that it was "unacceptable."
But the damage to his reputation for composure was done. When the PGA Championship Patton Kizzire withdrawal happened under similar circumstances—bad play followed by a sudden exit—the "injury" tag felt like a convenient cover to some observers.
A Season of Extreme Peaks and Valleys
Kizzire is a fascinating study in the professional golfer's psyche. In September 2024, he won the Procore Championship. It was his first win in over six years. At the time, he spoke about a new mental approach. He talked about "hugging trees" and staying present. He looked like a man who had finally figured out how to handle the stress of the Tour.
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Then 2025 hit like a ton of bricks.
Before that infamous Valspar withdrawal, he had missed six straight cuts. He was grinding, and the results just weren't there. For a guy who had just tasted victory again, the return to mediocrity (or worse) clearly stung. By the time he got to the PGA Championship, he had only made one cut in several months—a T20 at the Myrtle Beach Classic.
The struggle is real. Golfers are independent contractors. If you don't play, you don't get paid. But more than that, the mental toll of playing "bad" golf in front of millions is heavy. At Quail Hollow, Kizzire was 141st in the world. He was looking for a spark, and when he found a grease fire instead, he chose to extinguish the week early.
Was the Injury Legit?
It’s easy to be a cynic from the couch. However, playing professional golf with even a minor tweak is nearly impossible, especially on a beast of a course like Quail Hollow.
Could he have been hurt? Absolutely.
Could the frustration have lowered his pain tolerance? Probably.
The PGA Tour doesn't release medical records. We don't know if it was the same back issue that flared up at the Valspar or something entirely new. What we do know is that Kizzire's withdrawal left a void in the field and left his playing partners to finish as a duo.
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What This Means for Kizzire Moving Forward
So, where does he go from here? The PGA Championship Patton Kizzire withdrawal is a blemish on a season that started with so much promise. But Kizzire has proven he can bounce back. He’s a three-time winner for a reason.
- Rest and Recovery: If the back issues are chronic, he’s going to need a real break, not just a week off.
- Mental Reset: He needs to find that "tree-hugging" peace again. The "putter-kicking" Patton isn't the one who wins trophies.
- Focus on the FedExCup: Despite the major disappointment, his win in late 2024 gives him some breathing room in the standings. He needs to capitalize on that.
The reality of the PGA Tour in 2026 is that the competition is deeper than ever. You can't play at 80% and expect to compete. Patton Kizzire recognized that his Friday at Quail Hollow was a lost cause, whether due to his physical health or his mental exhaustion.
He isn't the first player to "WD-ing" when things go south, and he certainly won't be the last. But because of his high-profile outbursts earlier in the year, he’s under a microscope that most rank-and-file pros avoid. For Kizzire, the road back to the winner's circle starts with getting his body right and his temper under control.
If you're following his career, keep an eye on his next few starts. Does he finish the rounds? Does he keep his cool after a three-putt? That’s going to tell us more about his future than any official injury report ever will. The talent is there. The wins are there. Now, the consistency needs to show up.
Next time you see a "WD" next to a name on the leaderboard, remember that there’s usually a lot more going on behind the scenes than a simple sore muscle. In Patton's case, it's been a long, emotional road back from the top.
To keep up with the latest on player health and field changes, you should regularly check the official PGA Tour communications feed, as they are the first to post official injury designations. Monitoring the "Strokes Gained" data can also give you a hint if a player is struggling with a physical limitation before they actually pull the plug on a tournament.