A strong field at the AT&T Byron Nelson took a hit on Monday when World No. 1 Dustin Johnson withdrew from the tournament.
The PGA Tour posted a message from Johnson in which he says “knee discomfort that I occasionally experience has returned.”
Johnson didn’t play this past weekend in Charlotte at the Wells Fargo Championship. He posted a T-52 finish eight days ago at the Valspar Championship, shooting a 69 in his final round there.
Johnson hasn’t recorded a top-10 finish since the Genesis Invitational in February but said after the Valspar that his game seemed to going in the right direction.
“The game is really close to being good,” he said.
The PGA Championship is next week and in his message, he mentioned he needs to focus on his rehabilitation work.
In March, Johnson pulled out of the Valero Texas Open on that Monday, citing plans to prepare to defend his title at the Masters the next week. In February, Johnson withdrew from the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the Monday of tournament week, one day after he won the Saudi International for a second time.
Statement from Dustin Johnson following his WD from the @attbyronnelson: pic.twitter.com/kwGTqqNCcv
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) May 10, 2021