Hideki Matsuyama and Robert MacIntyre withdraw from BMW Championship due to back injuries

Two golfers have withdrawn from the BMW Championship this week in Colorado due to back injuries.

Hideki Matsuyama, fresh off a win at last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, withdrew from the second FedEx Cup Playoffs event on Friday because of a back injury. He said in a statement that he began feeling “lower back pain” during warmups for the second round on Friday, and that it “made it impossible to play.”

Matsuyama shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday to open the tournament at Castle Pines Golf Club. He began the week ranked No. 3 in the FedEx Cup standings, thanks in large part to last week’s win in Tennessee. So despite his withdrawal, Matsuyama is still expected to qualify for the Tour Championship. The top 30 golfers in the rankings after the BMW Championship advance to East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta next week.

at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. It was the 10th victory of his career on the PGA Tour, and came after his bronze medal at the Paris Olympics earlier this summer. Matsuyama also had to win without his regular caddie and coach, after they were robbed in London on the way back from the Olympics.

On Saturday, Robert MacIntyre withdrew from the BMW Championship due to lower back pain. He was 1-over for the week when he made the turn on Saturday, and that’s when he decided to withdraw.

MacIntyre picked up his first victory on tour earlier this season at the RBC Canadian Open. He also won the Genesis Scottish Open in July, which . MacIntyre entered the week ranked No. 12 in the FedEx Cup standings and is still projected to qualify for the Tour Championship despite sitting out the tournament in Colorado.