Rocket Classic loses three top-100 players, including Jason Day

Detroit — Major champion Jason Day won't play in this week's Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club, after all.

Day withdrew from the Rocket on Monday, as he continues to battle a lingering back injury, according to Golfweek's Adam Schupak. It was the second straight week that Day WD'd, after pulling out of last week's 3M Open in Minnesota.

Day withdrew during the U.S. Open last month, and returned for the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, where he tied for 55th. He then teed it up at the British Open, where he missed the cut, before pulling out of the 3M Open. He's played only eight full competitive rounds of golf since mid-May.

Day, 38, was among the latest commitments into the Rocket Classic, making a joint announcement along with content creator and fellow Aussie Ryan Ruffels, who teams with Day on "The Lads" YouTube page and was given a sponsor's exemption into the Rocket.

The Rocket was seen as an important tournament for Day, given his standing in the PGA Tour playoff standings. He's 74th in the playoff standings, and the top 70 make the playoffs.

The Rocket Classic is the second-to-last regular-season event before the start of the playoffs.

Day, 38, is a 13-time winner on the PGA Tour, including the PGA Championship in 2015, when he climbed to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Day won 10 times between 2014-18, before back issues started to hinder him. He snapped a lengthy winless drought in 2023, claiming the Byron Nelson title.

With Day out, Hayden Springer was added to the Rocket field. He got word while competing in Monday's qualifier at The Orchards Golf Club in Washington Township.

Also added to the field Monday was Ben Kohles, on the strength of two top-10 finishes in the last month, including a ninth-place showing at the 3M Open.

On Sunday, Maverick McNealy, ranked No. 42 in the world, withdrew from the Rocket, and on Saturday, Keith Mitchell, ranked No. 71, pulled out. Those WDs opened up spots for Lanto Griffin and Matt Kuchar, respectively.

Blades Brown, 19, could've joined the field but declined his spot to play in this week's Korn Ferry Tour tournament in Utah instead, since his points standing on the KFT has him in fine shape for a PGA Tour card next season.

You can check out the full 147-player field for the Rocket Classic HERE.

The eighth and final Rocket Classic starts Thursday.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

@tonypaul1984

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Rocket Classic loses three top-100 players, including Jason Day