Tiger Woods Withdraws from 2019 Northern Trust with Oblique Injury

Tiger Woods' appearance at the 2019 Northern Trust came to an abrupt end Friday when he was forced to withdraw from the tournament because of an oblique injury. 

Per the PGA Tour, Woods said in a statement he was experiencing pain and stiffness caused by a mild oblique strain. 

"I went for treatment early Friday morning, but unfortunately I'm still unable to compete," he said. "I'd like to thank the New Jersey and New York fans for their support and remain hopeful I can compete next week at the BMW Championship."

Woods got off to a slow start in the first round Thursday with a four-over 75 that left him tied for 116th in a 120-player field. 

Before the tournament started, Woods told reporters he was dealing with back stiffness during the pro-am round on Wednesday. 

"It's best to be smart about it,'' he said. "This is kind how it is; some days I'm stiffer than others.''

Since winning The Masters in April, Woods has been a non-factor in the five events he's played in. The 43-year-old missed the cut at the PGA Championship and British Open and finished 21st at the U.S. Open. He had a ninth-place finish at the Memorial Tournament in June. 

Woods, who's currently ranked 28th in the FedEx Cup Standings, is still scheduled to take part in the BMW Championship next week. He previously won the event in 2007 and 2009.