Xander Schauffele FORCED OUT of PGA Tour's Sentry Tournament of Champions

Xander Schauffele was forced to withdraw during the second round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions on the PGA Tour. 

Schauffele confirmed after the first round that he was suffering with back pain. He picked up the injury during Tiger Woods' Hero World Challenge in December. 

The 29-year-old told the media he did not know how he sustained the injury but it was preventing the American from swinging at 100 per cent. 

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Schauffele looked in visible discomfort throughout the second round but in the end decided to not risk further injury to his back. 

At the time of his withdrawal he was 3-under for the championship, some six strokes behind the leaders Collin Morikawa and Jon Rahm.

Alluding to his back issues on Thursday, Schauffele said:

Schauffele - who has been consistently linked with a move to the LIV Golf League - had already committed to the forthcoming American Express but his appearance there is now thrown into doubt. 

He said he intends to get his back further examined when he heads back home to San Diego. 

Schauffele has played in three tournaments this season on the PGA Tour. He finished fourth at the Hero and before that picked up another top-10 finish at the ZOZO Championship in Japan.

The Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course in Kapalua represents the first tournament to be played that has been given "elevated status". 

It has a bumper prize purse of $15m, meaning $2.7m will be awarded to the winner.

In total there are 17 - including the four majors. The best players have agreed to play in all of them, although Rory McIlroy has decided to skip this stop. 

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