Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa has decided to hit the pause button, withdrawing from the PGA Truist Championship on Monday to rest up ahead of next week's PGA Championship at Aronimink. The world number six, who captured the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 British Open, has been battling a series of nagging injuries in recent weeks—most notably a back issue that forced him to withdraw from The Players Championship in March after just one hole.

At 29 years old, the American star had been building momentum after snapping a 28-month win drought with his seventh career PGA Tour title at Pebble Beach in February. However, his performance has been uneven since: he tied for 62nd last week at Doral and, after pulling out of the Texas Open last month, managed a share of seventh at the Masters followed by a T-4 finish at the Heritage tournament.

With Morikawa stepping aside, all eyes turn to world number two Rory McIlroy, who arrives at Quail Harbor fresh off his second consecutive Masters victory at Augusta National. McIlroy, a four-time winner at this venue, leads a stacked field that includes England's Matt Fitzpatrick (world No. 3), American Cameron Young (No. 4), who claimed victory at Doral last week, and fellow Englishmen Justin Rose (No. 5) and Tommy Fleetwood (No. 7).

As the golf world gears up for the year's second major, this week's tournament at Quail Hollow promises to be a thrilling tuneup—even without one of its biggest stars.