Jason Day withdraws from Tour Championship due to back injury
Saturday 24 September 2016 00:13, UK
Jason Day is out of the running for the $10m FedExCup windfall after he was forced to withdraw from the Tour Championship during the second round.
Day continued to struggle with a back injury that has affected him on several occasions this season, a problem which also caused him to pull out of the BMW Championship two weeks ago during the final round.
The world No 1 admitted feeling "sharp pain" in his back on the opening day at East Lake in Atlanta, particularly after he hit driver off the tee, although he insisted the pain was not constant.
"When I get to the top of the swing, as soon as my hips start to unfold and then there's that little bit of separation, it just crunches down," Day said on Thursday. "It just hurts."
Day defied the problem to fire a three-under 67, but he was in clear discomfort while playing the eighth in his second round and picked his ball up before completing the hole.
The Australian was level par for the round after seven holes, but he pulled his drive at the eighth into the water and blocked his next shot into the thick rough on the right, from where he was unable to find the green.
Day then informed the match official of his withdrawal and shook hands with playing partner Si-woo Kim before walking gingerly back to the clubhouse, and his management company soon released a statement on his condition.
"Jason has a strained ligament in his lower right back with muscle spasm," the statement read. "He withdrew as a precautionary measure. Jason should be fine with some rest after a long break in the off-season."
Day's absence from the remainder of the tournament now means only four players can be crowned FedExCup champion on Sunday, with US Open champion Dustin Johnson the firm favourite ahead of Patrick Reed, Adam Scott and Paul Casey.
Johnson is also now guaranteed to win the PGA Player of the Year points race, while he is the front-runner to be named PGA Tour Player of the Year in the annual vote of all playing members.
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