JORDAN SPIETH let out an ear-piercing groan as his Travelers Championship hopes ended with agonising injury at the 13th hole.
The three-time Major winner withdrewfrom the £15million tournament amid what he called “weird circumstances”; on day one.
The ex-World No.1 revealed his back had earlier locked up.
The 31-year-old did all he could to battle on, having never pulled out of a tournament before.
But after struggling to five-overafter 12 holes, he accompanied his 13th tee shot witha cry of pain that meant enough was enough – and hitched a ride on a buggy to depart the scene.
So the star had to exit early from thefinal Signature Event of the seasonat TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
Earlier in the round had been spotted using a muscle massager on his upper back.
But he revealed hisbody had started to lock up even before that – during a warm-up on the ranges.
Spieth was keen to give the tournament a go because it’s a no-cut event with extraFedExCup points at stake.
He said after his unfortunate early ending: “Everything was great in my gym session, and I’ve been very, very excited to go out and play.
“Things have been getting better and better, and then my right scap [scapula on the upper back] just kind of locked — like tightened midway through the warm-up.”;
Spieth said the problem moved up “all of a sudden”; – then was all across his back.
He ended his practice 30 minute early for treatment from a physio before starting the opening round.
Spieth explained his loud near-grunt of anguish by saying his13th tee shot “legitimately really hurt”;.
It meant he was “not going to be able to make a backswing that’s even useful, and that’s what happened on the [earlier] bunker shot.”;
TheTexan has just returned fromwrist surgerybut insisted his new injury was a surprise.
Spieth began the event at 37th in the season’s rankings – knowing that thetop 70 in early August go into the FedExCup Playoffs and the top 50 make next year’s Signature Events.
He said his new setback was “incredibly frustrating”; as he went into theTravelers Championship “very confident”;.
Spieth added:”;Everything I had done in practice and the pro-am showed me it’s going to be a really good event.
“It’s just a very weird circumstance. It’s disappointing ... we’re having a baby here in a couple weeks, so I’ll have some time off now, obviously, to get healthy.
“But hopefully, after a few days, I go through the right process to just get right back to where I was.”;
