American Sahith Theegala withdrew from the 107th PGA Championship on Wednesday with a neck injury, the PGA of America announced.
His departure allows American Alex Smalley, from nearby Greensboro, to enter the field of 156 for Thursday's start at Quail Hollow.
World number 31 Theegala, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2023 Fortinet Championship, had withdrawn from last week's PGA Truist Championship in hopes of being ready for the PGA Championship.
His best finish in 12 major starts was ninth at the 2023 Masters. He shared 12th in last year's PGA Championship at Valhalla, opening with a 65 and standing third after the second and third rounds before a closing 73 dropped him back.
Smalley, 28, has not won a PGA Tour title and missed the cut in two of his three major starts, sharing 23rd at the 2023 PGA Championship for his best result.
Smalley will replace Theegala in the group starting off the 10th tee at 7:27 a.m. (1127) Thursday alongside fellow American Max McGreevy and Austria's ninth-ranked Sepp Straka, last week's PGA Truist winner.