Anirban Lahiri to play at The Players Championship after Brooks Koepka pulls out due to injury

Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri will compete at The Players Championship next week following the withdrawal of four-time major champion Brooks Koepka due to a knee injury.

"Eight-time PGA TOUR winner Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2021 PLAYERS Championship due to injury... He will be replaced in the 154-player field by Anirban Lahiri of India," a PGA Tour release said on Monday.

Lahiri had made an early exit from the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week after carding a six-over 78.

Koepka had won the Waste Management Phoenix Open last month and finished in a tie for second at the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship last week. He is currently seventh in the FedExCup standings.

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"Brooks strained his right knee and he is scheduled to further consult with doctors this week to receive a more extensive evaluation and outlook," said Blake Smith, Koepka's manager.

"We will be able to provide additional updates and information as we learn more."

Lahiri, who has not won since the 2015 Hero Indian Open, has played nine events in the 2021 PGA Tour season with his best result being a tied sixth finish at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in September last year.

The Indian competed at The Players Championships four times. He missed the cut thrice, while finished Tied 74th in the 2019 edition.

The 2020 edition of the tournament was cancelled after the first round due to the Covid-19 pandemic.