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Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Will Zalatoris, the No. 9 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, withdrew from this week's Tour Championship, the PGA Tour announced Tuesday. The tour said Zalatoris sustained two herniated disks in his back and also will miss the Presidents Cup next month at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C.
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Zalatoris withdrew in the middle of the third round of last weekend's BMW Championship, the second leg of the FedExCup Playoffs. The Tour Championship, which serves as the playoff finale, will run from Thursday to Sunday at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
"After Will's withdrawal from the BMW Championship on Saturday, his medical team determined that the source of his back pain is two herniated discs," Zalatoris' agent, Allen Hobbs, said in a statement.
"Unfortunately, this means that Will is unable to play this week at the Tour Championship."
Hobbs said Zalatoris is focused on returning to the course "as soon as he is able."
Zalatoris won the St. Jude Championship, the first-leg of the playoff. He ranked third in the FedExCup standings and was set to tee off Thursday at 7-under par, three strokes behind leader Scottie Scheffler (10-under) and one stroke behind Patrick Cantlay (8-under).
Zalatoris will not be replaced in what was a 30-player field. The winner of the Tour Championship will receive an $18 million prize. Scheffler, Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm are among the favorites to win at East Lake.
The Tour Championship will air on NBC and Golf Channel.
