Day withdraws from Pro-Am with back issue

EDISON, New Jersey (Reuters) - PGA Championship winner Jason Day of Australia withdrew from Wednesday's Pro-Am at The Barclays tournament due to a back issue but should be able to tee off in Thursday's first round.

(Reuters)

The withdrawal was a precautionary move, the player's trainer said in a statement at the first event of the four-tournament, season-ending FedExCup playoffs that start on Thursday at Plainfield Country Club.

"Jason tweaked his back moving an item under his motor coach last night," said Cornel Driessen, Day's physiotherapist and trainer. "This is a precautionary withdrawal for a long-standing disc issue."

World number three Day, ranked second in the FedExCup points standings, still hopes to tee it up in the first round on Thursday, where he is grouped with world number one Jordan Spieth and Bubba Watson in an 8:26 a.m. ET starting time.

Day was replaced in the Pro-Am by Brendan Steele.

(Reporting by Larry Fine; Editing by Ken Ferris)