Texas Open

Mickelson withdraws from Texas Open

ESPN staff

March 29, 2014

Phil Mickelson does not know whether he will be fit enough to make the Houston Open © Getty Images

Enlarge

Phil Mickelson withdrew from the Texas Open after 10 holes on Saturday because of what his caddie described as a muscle injury in his side, not his back.

Mickelson was one-over-par for the third round when the three-time Masters champion was taken off the golf course in a cart. His caddie, Jim Mackay said Mickelson felt a twinge on his opening tee shot and that the pain wasn't going away.

He said Mickelson was headed home to San Diego to get it checked out. Mickelson is entered in the Houston Open next week, the last tournament before the Masters.

"My back's feeling great, my body's been feeling great," Mickelson said in a statement released through the PGA Tour. "I felt as good as I have all year. My speed is back, I was hitting the ball hard, driving it great. I pulled a muscle on my downswing trying to hit the ball hard on the second hole. It just killed and it wouldn't subside for 10 or 12 seconds.

"I'm going to go back to San Diego of a couple of days and have a doctor take a look at it but there's really not much you can do for a pulled muscle. I hope I'll be OK to play the Shell in Houston but I just don't know.'"

It is the second time this year Mickelson has withdrawn in the middle of a tournament. He pulled out of Torrey Pines, after making the cut, because of a back injury.

Mickelson had made the cut in Texas after a sublime splash shot from a water hazard on the final hole of his second round.

This story originally appeared on ESPN.com