Dustin Johnson Back Injury Update: Golfer ‘Going In Right Direction’ After Pre-Masters Fall Down Stairs

Dustin Johnson is expected to play in this year’s Masters Tournament, which begins this Thursday in Augusta, Georgia, despite undergoing a brief injury scare just one day before.

Dustin Johnson Fine After Falling Down Stairs, Injuring Back Before Masters

According to the Masters on the Range broadcast, the 32-year-old American was walking down a few short stairs to the garage to move a car at his rental house when he fell and landed awkwardly on his back and both elbows. Johnson thus suffered a muscular injury in the lower left side of his back below the rib cage (his QL muscle).

Nevertheless, Johnson’s trainer stated the golfer is walking around and will be ready for his tee time on Thursday (2:03 p.m. EST) during Round 1.

“We got him to the point where he got mobility,” Johnson’s trainer, Joey Diovisalvi, told Golf Digest on Thursday morning. “He was up and moving around and definitely going in the right direction. He was very much in an under-control point going to bed last night.

“He was walking around, a lot more mobility, took a couple of practice swings slowly without a club.”

Diovisalvi said he momentarily feared Johnson’s injury would caused him to miss the tournament.

“He told us, ‘I’m going to do everything I can to go out and play tomorrow,'” Diovisalvi said. “That basically is his attitude. He was playing with [his son] Tatum. Life sometimes happens. He’s not angry or upset. I’d say more discouraged.”

Johnson was an 11-2 favorite to win the Masters entering Wednesday, according to Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook. Following news of his injury, his odds fell to 7-1, the same as Jordan Spieth’s and Rory McIlroy’s.

Nevertheless, Johnson’s support team remains confident he will be able to prepared to play Thursday afternoon.

“The main goal was to control the pain overnight to minimize stiffness and avoid spasms this morning,” said physiotherapist Dr. Ara Suppiah. “The team acted very quickly, which makes a huge difference in getting control of the situation and prognosis.”

The World No. 1 has won three consecutive tournaments — including two World Golf Championships — ahead of the Masters.

Johnson is in the final group for the opening round: he will tee alongside two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and PGA winner Jimmy Walker.

This Masters if the first without golf legend Arnold Palmer, who died last September at age 87. Palmer played in 50 Masters and was an honorary non-hitting starter at last year’s 80th Masters. He won the tournament four times: in 1958, 1960, 1962 and 1964.

Many famous players have stated the tournament will not be the same without Palmer.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – MARCH 05: Dustin Johnson of the United States plays his tee shot on the 18th hole during the final round of the World Golf Championships Mexico Championship at Club De Golf Chapultepec on March 5, 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Justin Heiman/Getty Images)