GOLF: Morikawa withdraws from Players Championship due to back injury

World number four Collin Morikawa has withdrawn from The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, with a back injury after completing one hole, the PGA Tour said.

Morikawa, who arrived at the PGA Tour's flagship event this week as one of the pre-tournament favourites, parred his opening hole at TPC Sawgrass, the par-four 10th, and then withdrew at the tee at the par-five 11th.

The two-times major champion took a practice swing at the 11th tee and then immediately reached for his back with his right arm. He then went to a golf cart, removed his hat and placed his arms on his head as he was taken from the course.

Morikawa won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last month for his seventh PGA Tour victory and followed that with top-10 finishes at the Genesis Invitational and Arnold Palmer Invitational.

-Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto;Editing by Toby Davis/Reuters