Horschel out of Shanghai event

US star Billy Horschel has been forced to withdraw from this week’s WGC-HSBC Champions event due to an ongoing back injury.

The 28-year-old was set to line up in the elite field for the final World Golf Championship event of the year in Shanghai, but has pulled out due to a back problem.

The Florida resident felt a twinge before flying out to the Far East although he decided to travel in the hope that it would clear up in time for Thursday’s high-profile tournament.

However, he has conceded defeat in the race to get fit and will play no part in proceedings.

Horschel has not played since the penultimate event of last season’s FedEx Cup play-offs in which he finished 32nd in the BMW Championship to miss out on the Tour Championship.

However, the former Walker Cup star won the PGA Tour’s final event back in 2014 to scoop the $10million bonus fund and will now have time to get back to full fitness for when the Tour returns to America, with 22-year-old Cameron Smith of Australia taking his place.

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