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Top-ranked Dustin Johnson withdraws from AT&T Byron Nelson with knee injury

The top-ranked golfer in the world has pulled out of the AT&T Byron Nelson.

Dustin Johnson announced Monday that he has withdrawn from the Dallas-area tournament due to a lingering knee injury.

“Unfortunately, the knee discomfort I occasionally experience has returned and after consultation with my team and trainers, I feel it is best that I remain at home and focus on my rehabilitation work,” he said in a statement, via the PGA Tour. “I am not pleased about this situation, as I was really looking forward to playing this week. I have several friends in the Dallas area, many of whom I have met through their involvement with the tournament, so I hate to let them down … I am truly sorry I won’t be there with you.”

Johnson underwent surgery to repair cartilage damage in his left knee after the 2019 season, which sidelined him for months.

The 36-year-old already has one win on Tour this season after his victory at the rescheduled Masters Tournament in November. He finished T2 the week before that at the Vivint Houston Open and kicked off the modified season with a T6 finish at the rescheduled U.S. Open.

Johnson won the Saudi International in February, too — a European Tour event.

Since then, though, Johnson has stumbled a bit. He finished T54 at the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship and then T48 at The Players Championship, and then missed the cut at the Masters last month.

The 24-time Tour winner last competed at the Valspar Championship earlier this month, where he finished T48.

It’s unclear when Johnson will return, though he is presumably sitting out this week so he can compete next week at the PGA Championship — which kicks off next Thursday from the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island in South Carolina.

Dustin Johnson of the United States
Dustin Johnson's injury comes just one week before the PGA Championship. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

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