Dustin Johnson injures back, 'hopes' to play Thursday

Dustin Johnson's quest for a fourth straight win could be over before it starts, as the star golfer injured his back while falling down the stairs Wednesday, and "hopes" to be able to play on Thursday.

"At roughly 3:00 p.m. today, Dustin took a serious fall on a staircase in his Augusta rental home," Johnson's agent David Winkle said in a statement obtained by Golf Digest. "He landed very hard on his lower back and is now resting, although quite uncomfortably. He has been advised to remain immobile and begin a regimen of anti-inflammatory medication and icing, with the hope of being able to play tomorrow."

The injury could rob the field of the top-ranked player in the world as Johnson has shot to the No. 1 spot with three straight wins on the PGA Tour. He comes to Augusta as the betting favorite, and is looking to improve on his fourth-place finish last season.

If Johnson misses the event, he would become the first top-ranked player in the world to miss a major since Rory McIlroy at the 2015 Open Championship.

Johnson is slated to tee-off for his opening round Thursday in the very last group at 2:03 p.m. ET, so he will have plenty of time to attempt to loosen his back up in hopes of playing.

Oddly enough, this isn't the first time Johnson has faced the possibility of a back injury ending his Masters Tournament. The 32-year-old was forced to withdraw from the event in 2012 due to an injury sustained while lifting a jet ski.