Dustin Johnson has withdrawn from the Humana Challenge in La Quinta, California due to lower back pain. Johnson, the #8 ranked golfer in the world and former Coastal Carolina All-American, was in his first tournament since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in December. Johnson shot even par on Thursday in his first action on the Palmer Course, but shot +4 through nine holes at La Quinta when he withdrew.
“My knee is ok. I am not worried about it,” Johnson said in a PGA Tour.com article. “My lower back is really stiff and hurting, which I think is from the way I am walking or the fact that I have not walked a lot since the surgery. Yesterday was the first time I walked a full 18 holes. I do intend to play next week in San Diego."
Johnson was supposed to make his PGA Tour debut at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego next week, but moved his debut up a week.
