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"2018 has been a tough year for me physically,"
Chappell wrote in an Instagram post Saturday. "After considering
all options with my team we have decided having a
microdiscectomy is the best option for my future. I'll be having
the surgery next week and will get to work to get myself back to
where I know I can be as a player. Thank you for all the
support. See you in 2019."
Chappell, 32, made three starts during the eight-event fall
swing to begin the 2018-19 PGA Tour season, playing the weekend
in each event and tying for 10th at the CIMB Classic in
Malaysia. However, Chappell has been dealing with back pain
throughout 2018 while seeing his world ranking slide from 34th
to 71st.
He did finish sixth at The Open in July, but that followed an
eight-event stretch during which he did not place higher than
30th and missed five cuts - including The Masters and The
Players Championship.
Microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a
portion of a vertebrae is removed in an attempt to relieve
pressing of nerves in the lower back. Chappell is expected to
have limited physical activity for 4-6 weeks, and likely won't
return to competitive golf for several months.
Tiger Woods underwent three microdiscectomy procedures on his
back before ultimately deciding to have fusion surgery in April
2017, and several Tour players have undergone microdiscectomies.
Chappell had eight top-10s in 2016 and lost the Tour
Championship in a playoff against Rory McIlroy. He went on to
claim his first Tour victory the following year while also
earning a spot on the U.S. Presidents Cup team.
However, 2018 has been a struggle, with Chappell missing seven
of 23 cuts and failing to advance past the second round of the
FedEx Cup Playoffs.
--Field Level Media
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