Global Golf Injury Report: Patrick Reed's Wrist Derails BMW PGA Run as Jason Day Misses Presidents Cup

The late-season grind is collecting its toll. With the Presidents Cup looming at Medinah and the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai entering its critical final stretch, the physical realities of a year-long global schedule are forcing major names to the sidelines. For Patrick Reed, the stakes could not have been higher at the BMW PGA Championship, but a single swing out of the deep rough at Wentworth has derailed his immediate plans.[1][2]

Reed, who has been leading the Race to Dubai standings after departing LIV Golf to reclaim his PGA Tour status, opened the flagship event with a solid 4-under 68. But Friday's second round quickly spiraled into a nightmare. After dropping five shots over his first eight holes, Reed found his ball nestled near tree roots in the high grass on the par-4 ninth hole.[1][2]

The impact was violent. Reed's club flew out of his hands as he struck the root, leaving the 2018 Masters champion visibly clutching his left wrist and shoulder in severe discomfort. He managed to finish the hole but officially withdrew after hitting his tee shot on the 10th, hopping into a cart at 9-over par for the day. The injury opens the door for Rory McIlroy to close the gap in the season-long standings, while Reed's timeline for a return to full health ahead of the 2027 season remains uncertain.[1][2]

Across the Atlantic, the International Team is preparing for the 2026 Presidents Cup without one of its most experienced veterans. Captain Geoff Ogilvy finalized his six captain's picks earlier this month, notably leaving 38-year-old Jason Day off the roster for the showdown at Medinah Country Club.[3][4]

Day's absence is entirely physical. The former world No. 1 has been battling a lingering back injury that forced him to withdraw from the 3M Open and the Rocket Classic, ultimately causing him to miss the FedEx Cup playoffs for the first time in 18 years. "My body is beat," Day admitted bluntly after missing the postseason. "I really have to get my body sorted; that's the biggest thing. It's hard to play golf the way that I am playing now."[3][4]

For Ogilvy, the decision came down to the grueling format of the Presidents Cup. The captain determined that the risk of Day's back seizing up over four days of intense match play was simply too high, opting instead for younger debutants like Nico Echavarria and Ryo Hisatsune. The International squad will now lean heavily on Adam Scott, who is making a record 12th appearance, to fill the leadership void.[3][4]

But the injury report isn't entirely bleak. On the DP World Tour, Paul Casey provided a masterclass in resilience at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland. Earlier this year, a severe wrist injury forced Casey to withdraw from a LIV Golf event in Korea, leaving the 49-year-old wondering if his season—and potentially his career—was over.[5]

Instead, Casey bounced back, firing rounds of 64 and 67 to take a three-shot lead into the final day at Crans-Montana. "There was a wrist problem earlier in the year, but I bounced back from that," an emotional Casey told reporters. "I wasn't sure, I thought that could have been the season."[5]

Meanwhile, on the LPGA Tour, English star Charley Hull is plotting her own return. Still managing the aftereffects of an ankle injury sustained when she tripped over a curb ahead of the 2025 PIF London Championship, Hull has been forced to take an extended break from competition.[6]

Speaking at the launch of The Classic in Corning, New York, this week, Hull remained optimistic about her recovery timeline. "I have had some time off competing due to injury, but I am hoping to get back out on Tour soon," Hull said. As the 2026 season hurtles toward its conclusion, the margins between hoisting a trophy and heading to rehab are razor-thin. For Reed and Day, the focus shifts entirely to recovery, while players like Casey prove that a mid-season setback doesn't have to be the final word.[5][6]