Freak Accident Forces Player to Withdraw from NCAA Championship

University of Oregon junior Greg Solhaug suffered a scary injury at the 2023 NCAA championship.

University of Oregon golfer Greg Solhaug was forced to withdraw from the NCAA Division I national championship Sunday after a freak accident sent him to the hospital and left him unable to compete in the tournament. 

Solhaug, a junior, stepped on a tee on the 11th hole at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. The tee subsequently went through the sole of his shoe and impaled his foot, according to Golfweek. 

Medical attendants gave Solhaug assistance on the golf course, but he subsequently was forced to withdraw from the competition. 

“Oregon student-athlete Gregory Solhaug suffered a foot injury during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships and was forced to withdraw from competition. Oregon, which completed Saturday’s second round with four players, will have the option to substitute another player into their team lineup for subsequent competition rounds, as they deem appropriate,” the NCAA wrote in a statement. 

Solhaug was 2 over through 10 holes during the third round of the stroke play portion of the tournament when the injury occurred. 

Oregon’s Gregory Solhaug is at the course today. If you remember, he had a tee go almost all the way through his foot Saturday. He’s doing well and should be able to walk on it again in two weeks, he said #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/YQ9nR3WF7I

— Cameron Jourdan (@Cam_Jourdan) May 28, 2023

Solhaug was on the course supporting his team on Sunday and “should be able to walk on [his foot] again in two weeks,” according to Golfweek’s Cameron Jourdan.