Justin Thomas has withdrawn from the 2019 PGA Championship with a wrist injury that's apparently more serious than he's publicly indicated.
Thomas withdrew from the field at Bethpage Black on Monday, opening the door for the fifth alternate, Kelly Kraft, to join the field for the year's second men's major championship.
The 2017 PGA champion withdrew from the Wells Fargo Championship two weeks ago, citing the same wrist injury. It appeared to be a precautionary move, giving himself time to heal and be ready for a run at a second major title. However, the wrist problem continues to linger and that has forced Thomas to pull out from this week's proceedings.
In a statement, Thomas said, "Unfortunately, I will be withdrawing from the 101st PGA Championship at Bethpage Black this week as my wrist is not yet fully healed. Obviously, as a past champion, this tournament is extra special to me. It consistently has the strongest field in golf and I'm disappointed to not be among those competing this year but I'm optimistic about a return in the near future."
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) May 13, 2019
Thomas finished T-12 in his last start at the Masters, his first top-15 finish in his last four PGA Tour starts.
The Alabama product has not won on the PGA Tour this season, claiming his last PGA Tour title at the 2018 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
