Steve Stricker pulls out of PGA Championship, citing fatigue

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Steve Stricker decided Sunday to withdraw from the PGA Championship at Valhalla, citing the difficulty of playing four times in a span of five weeks.

Stricker, 57, was eligible by winning the Senior PGA Championship last year. He, John Daly and Phil Mickelson are the only players to have competed at Valhalla each of the previous three times the PGA Championship was held there.

Stricker, the PGA Tour Champions Player of the Year in 2023 when he won three of the five majors, tied for third in the Regions Tradition in Alabama on Sunday. He will defend his title in the Senior PGA the week after Valhalla, then host his American Family Insurance Championship in Wisconsin two weeks after the Senior PGA.

“Fatigue,” Stricker said when asked why he withdrew. “I just can’t play four out of five weeks.”

He was replaced at Valhalla by Alex Smalley.

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