World No 1 Dustin Johnson has pulled out of the 2017 Masters.
Doubts had been raised about the US golfer's participation after suffering a serious fall on Wednesday, on the eve of the tournament.
Last night, his agent David Winkle had revealed that Johnson had suffered a fall on a staircase at his rental home at Augusta and had "landed very hard on his lower back".
Dustin Johnson has withdrawn from #TheMasters. pic.twitter.com/PrpBSe6Rbc
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 6, 2017
At that point, he hadn't been definitively ruled out of the Masters, with some hope that he would tee off as expected at about 7pm Irish time.
The in form golfer had arrived on course to practice but ultimately it did not prove possible for Johnson to take part in the year's first major.
He went through his warm-up routine this evening with the intention of playing.
Johnson even got as far preparing to tee off at Augusta, before changing his mind.
Major discussion on the range between Dustin Johnson and Fred Ridley, the chairman of the championship committee. DJ shaking his head.
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelESPN) April 6, 2017
It's official: Dustin Johnson has withdrawn. Just the second time a No. 1 player won't play the Masters. The first? Tiger Woods in 2014.
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelESPN) April 6, 2017
Johnson has been in excellent form, winning three tournament in a row at the Genesis Open, WGC Mexico and WGC Dell Technologies World Match Play, and had been one of the favourites to claim the Masters green jacket.
He had been due to tee off just after 7pm Irish time alongside Bubba Watson and Jimmy Walker.
