Justin Rose lasted just four holes on Saturday at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando. The former World No. 1 withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational citing an injured back.
Waking up with spasms in his lower back, Rose, who entered the day at 5 under par, tried to play through the pain and what he described as a warmup that was “hard work.”
“I just couldn’t stay down in a shot,” Rose said. “I missed basically every golf shot left to start the day.”
Rose’s struggles were magnified at the par-4, third hole where he rinsed three balls in the water and made 9. He did stick around long enough to witness playing competitor Jordan Spieth make a hole-in-one at the second hole. But two holes later, he informed Spieth that he would have to play the rest of the round as a single.
Arnold Palmer Invitational: Leaderboard | Photos
“Even my little chip into the 4th hole out of the rough from the left-hand side was creating pain,” Rose said. “I just felt like it was a prudent call, just to call it at that point. But I felt bad with Jordan having momentum to sort of change, change the vibe of the group.”
Rose is scheduled to play in next week’s Players Championship. It was just the second time in 360 PGA Tour starts in his career that he’s withdrawn from a tournament.
Frustrated to have to WD from @APinv I woke up not feeling my best and hoped my lower back would ease up through my warm up and into my round. Unfortunately it went the other way.
Thx to @Mastercard for another great week at Bay Hill and carrying on Mr Palmers legacy. pic.twitter.com/cKW5n7Ya1m— Justin ROSE (@JustinRose99) March 6, 2021