Tiger Woods withdrew from The Northern Trust, opening event of the FedEx Cup playoffs at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J., on Friday before the start of the second round because of oblique injury.
The 43-year-old Woods opened with a 4-over-par 75 on Thursday, one day after he stopped taking full swings on the back nine of his round in the pro-am because of what he said was a stiff back.
“I went for treatment early Friday morning, but unfortunately I’m still unable to compete,” Woods said in a statement. “I’d like to thank the New Jersey and New York fans for their support and remain hopeful I can compete next week at the BMW Championship.”
Woods, who is ranked fifth in the world thanks to his 15th major victory in the Masters in April, was 27th in the FedEx Cup point standings at the start of the week, but will fall out of the top 30 after this week.
That means he will need a high finish next week in the BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club outside Chicago to climb back into the top 30 to qualify for the Tour Championship and be able to defend his title at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta in two weeks.
Woods, who made it all the way back from four surgeries on his back in recent years, has played only 10 times this season. Since winning at Augusta National, he has made only four starts, missing the cut in the PGA Championship and the Open Championship, tying for ninth in the Memorial Tournament and tying for 21st in the U.S. Open.
His last withdrawal came earlier this year in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, when he cited a lingering neck issue.
