Masters 2017: Injured Dustin Johnson pulls out as Charley Hoffman leads

He surged into a commanding lead and appeared to be playing a different course to the rest, but while world No. 1 Dustin Johnson was nursing a back injury that forced him to pull out it was Charley Hoffman who took the Masters by storm on day one.

Five years ago at Augusta he said he wasn’t “good enough” to win a major, now Sergio Garcia shares the halfway lead with Charley Hoffman, Thomas Pieters and Rickie Fowler at the Masters.

The 32-year-old underwent intensive rehab overnight and took to the Augusta practice range Thursday to test his back before pulling out minutes before his 2.03 pm ET starting time.

“Obviously, I want to play more than anything but I just can’t swing the club,” Johnson told reporters at Augusta.

“I just don’t feel like there’s any chance of me even competing. It hurts. I was doing everything I could to try to play. I was up pretty much all night trying to get it ready for today.”

Instead, it was the 40-year-old Hoffman who made light of the breezy, befuddling conditions to fire a seven-under 65, including four straight birdies on the back nine.

The Las Vegas resident, playing in his fourth Masters, held a four-shot lead over countryman and debutant William McGirt the only other player to break 70.

Hoffman’s is the biggest first-round lead at Augusta since Jack Burke’s four-shot advantage in 1955.

“The putts started going in the hole - as simple as that sounds,” said the world No. 52, who was ninth at the Masters in 2015.

Hoffman’s round was all the more remarkable given only 11 players broke par, but the rest of the field will be hoping it was an anomaly – in the last 11 Masters the winner has been inside the top 10 and within four shots of the lead after round one.

READ: Danny Willett’s guide to Amen Corner

READ: Tiger Woods – 20 years of iconic images

READ: All you need to know about Augusta and the Masters

READ: Former champ Mize relives outrageous winning chip

The 37-year-old McGirt, who has missed the cut in three of the four previous majors he has played, said: “It was pretty darn special. Any time to break 70 is awesome.

“I’m lucky enough to know a few members here and I’ve spoken to a few caddies and they’ve been happy to share their knowledge with me.”

England’s two-time runner-up Lee Westwood, 43, finished a stroke further back in third on two under after a run of five consecutive birdies from the 13th.

Sergio Garcia of Spain celebrates with the Masters Trophy during the Green Jacket ceremony after he won in a playoff during the final round of the 2017 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday, April 9, in Augusta, Georgia.

Garcia embraces fiancee Angela Akins after winning his first major title in a playoff with England's Justin Rose for the Masters.

Olympic champion Rose won the 2013 US Open and was bidding to become the first European to win the Masters and US Open in his career.

Close friends Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler were playing together in the penultimate group Sunday, with Spieth chasing a second green jacket and Fowler a first major title.

Spieth was second on his debut in 2014, won the following year and was second last year after an infamous collapse on the back nine Sunday.

The 37-year-old Garcia was chasing his first major title in 74 attempts.

Rory McIlroy posted a fourth consecutive top 10 at the Masters but needs a win to complete the career grand slam of all four major titles.

Olympic champion Justin Rose of England fires a third-round 67 to reach six under and take a share of the lead with Sergio Garcia into the final round of the Masters on Sunday.

Spain's Garcia is chasing a first major title at the 74th attempt. Could a big one finally come his way Sunday at Augusta?

Jordan Spieth, the 2015 champion, has finished no worse than second on three visits to Augusta and hit back from a quadruple-bogey nine Thursday to be within two of the lead.

Phil Mickelson was hoping to mount a challenge for a fourth Masters green jacket but struggled to catch fire Saturday and faces an eight-shot deficit to the leaders.

Rory McIlroy needs the Masters to complete the career grand slam of all four majors but says he needs "the round of my life" if he is to have a chance Sunday.

Fred Couples won the Masters 25 years ago, and the 57-year-old is in contention again, although Saturday's third round didn't quite go in the right direction.

Young American Rickie Fowler is chasing a first major title and sits one stroke off the lead heading into the climax Sunday.

Charley Hoffman hits a shot on Friday. He led by four shots when the second round started, but he came back to the field with a 3-over 75.

Garcia hits out of a bunker on Friday. He shot a 3-under 69.

Pieters lines up a putt on the 10th hole Friday.

From left, Garcia, Lee Westwood and Shane Lowry wait together on a green.

Adam Hadwin jumps across Rae's Creek while playing the 13th hole.

Paul Casey, left, and caddie John McLaren visualize a shot.

Golfers walk up to the first fairway on Friday.

William McGirt reacts to a missed birdie putt on Friday.

Ryan Moore watches a shot from the pine straw on the 17th hole.

Former Masters winner Charl Schwartzel hits a shot on No. 7.

Hoffman drives the ball on the 18th hole on Thursday, April 6. He shot a 7-under 65 to take a four-shot lead after the first round.

Billy Payne, the chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club, places Arnold Palmer's jacket on a chair at the honorary start of the tournament. Palmer's wife, Kathleen, looks on. Palmer, a four-time Masters winner, died in September at the age of 87.

Jack Nicklaus raises his cap to the sky, honoring Palmer before hitting a ceremonial tee shot.

Dustin Johnson, the world's No. 1 player, talks to the media after withdrawing from the tournament on Thursday. Johnson hurt his back Wednesday after falling down a staircase.