Watson withdraws with pulled oblique muscle

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- Bubba Watson withdrew from the Northern Trust Open on Thursday, citing a pulled oblique muscle that sent him to the emergency room twice this week, he said.

Watson completed his round, shooting a five-over par 76 at the Riviera Country Club, before withdrawing.

"I'm feeling a little sore," he said. "I went to the ER earlier in the week just to check it out, making sure it wasn't something more serious. Then it was still bothering me, so I did a CAT scan and an ultrasound, so I did two visits to the doctors two days apart. I tried to go today. It's just my mind was worried about that and not worried about playing golf. I'm not in the right place. I need to rest my stomach and hopefully get better for Tucson [the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship next week."

On Twitter, Watson identified the injury: "I have a pulled oblique muscle, I have been to ER twice this week. Just to make sure it was not serious."

-- John Strege