Will Zalatoris withdrew from The Open today on medical advice not to risk further injury.

The slight Texan had been five shots off the lead at close of play last night despite bogeying two of the final holes, including a missed 1 foot putt on the 15th.

He sustained a back injury while hacking out of long rough on the 15 th hole. He said he felt a sharp pain down his leg, but decided to play on and complete his debut round in The Open.

He attempted to hit balls and work out on Friday morning but said he was gutted to have to withdraw in a message on his Instagram account.

Zalatoris has had a succession of high finishes in recent majors, starting with 6th in the 2020 US Open, a runner up place in this year’s Masters and T8 in the 2021 PGA Championship. He is currently 30th in the world.

Billy Horschel also reassured, after his second round, that he is fine to continue after suffering dizzy spells and loss of balance during play.