Fall over for Dustin
DUSTIN JOHNSON quit the Masters just seconds before he was due to tee off.
The world No.1 walked off to leave tournament organisers and fans stunned.
The American suffered a back injury in a freak fall at his rented Augusta house on the eve of the tournament.
Johnson tumbled down some stairs and was forced to have intensive treatment overnight.
He turned up to practice on the range ahead of his 7.03pm start time last night but looked in pain as he hit some balls.
Johnson then joined his playing partners Bubba Watson and Jimmy Walker on the first
tee. But following a few gentle swings he made the agonising decision that he couldn’t take part and pulled out.
He said: “I want to play. I’m playing the best golf of my life and to have a freak accident happen, it sucks really bad.
“I have been worked on all morning and obviously I can take some swings. But I can’t swing full, I can’t make my normal swing and I didn’t think there was any chance I could compete.”
Johnson revealed the accident happened when he was heading outside to move his car.
Bruised
He added: “I was wearing socks and slipped and went down three stairs. The left side of my lower back took the brunt of it and my left elbow is bruised as well.”
His withdrawal gave a huge boost to the field considering he had won his last three tournaments and looked in unbeatable form.
His exit saw Northern Irishman Rory McIlory installed as the new joint favourite along with Jordan Spieth.
But Spieth produced another quadruple bogey horror show as his first round fell apart.
The American was leading on the final round last year until he took a seven on the par-three 12th.
He made a par there yesterday – but then took a NINE on the par five 15th, usually the easiest hole on the course.
He dumped his third shot in the water, fired his recovery over the green, thinned a chip and then needed three putts.
It took him to four over – but he showed his class with a birdie at the 16th.