Hideki Matsuyama withdraws from BMW Championship: No. 3 in FedEx Cup standings out with lower back injury

Hideki Matsuyama has withdrawn from the 2024 BMW Championship citing a lower back injury. After opening his tournament with a 5-under 67, Matsuyama found himself just one stroke off the first-round pace set by Keegan Bradley. Entering the week No. 3 in the FedEx Cup, Matsuyama had eyes on possibly climbing even higher but is now at risk of falling down the standings ahead of next week's season finale at the Tour Championship.

Matsuyama arrived in Colorado fresh off his second victory of the season and his first FedEx Cup Playoffs triumph at the St. Jude Championship. Fending off Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland, the Olympic bronze medalist climbed into the third spot in the FedEx Cup standings — the highest point of his career at this stage of the season.

By receiving zero FedEx Cup points this week, Matsuyama could be passed by Collin Morikawa, Rory McIlroy, Wyndham Clark, Ludvig Åberg, Sahith Theegala, Patrick Cantlay and Sungjae Im if one were to win as all are within 2,000 points of the man from Japan.

Despite Matsuyama's stellar play this season that includes not only his win in Memphis but a six-stroke come-from-behind victory at the Genesis Invitational in February, the 32-year-old has not been able to avoid the injury bug. After being on site leading up to the tournament, Matsuyama withdrew from the Wells Fargo Championship ahead of his Round 1 tee time. His WD from the BMW Championship marks his second straight in this tournament and his seventh since the start of the 2021 season.