Toms out of Zurich Classic with back injury

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Field: Zurich Classic of New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS -- David Toms withdrew from the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on Tuesday due to a back injury.

Toms, who won the tournament in 2001, said he was disappointed to have to miss the tournament for the first time in 13 years. The Shreveport, La., resident and LSU product has played in 16 Zurich Classics overall.

"This tournament means so much to me and I hate that I will not be able to compete this year," Toms said. "I'm fighting a lower back injury that only gets slightly better each day. It wouldn't be fair to the great golf fans in New Orleans if I tried to tee it up and I wasn't 100 percent healthy.

"I will be taking next week off as well and feel confident that I will be ready to play in The Masters."