Dustin Johnson ‘up and moving around,’ hopeful to start Masters

Dustin Johnson hurt his back after taking a serious spill down some stairs at his rental house in Augusta Wednesday, putting his Masters start in jeopardy. But the world No. 1 may be good to go for his Thursday afternoon tee time.

DJ, heading into this week’s major on a serious roll after winning three straight PGA Tour events, was “up and moving around and definitely going in the right direction,” Johnson’s trainer Joey Diovisalvi told Golf World’s Tim Rosaforte Thursday morning, according to Golf Digest.

“He was very much in an under control point going to bed last night,” Diovisalvi said. “He was walking around, a lot more mobility, took a couple of practice swings slowly without a club.”

Johnson, who had pain on the lower left side of his back below the rib cage (called the quadratus lumborum, or QL, muscle) after slipping on wooden steps and landing on his lower back and elbows with what DJ’s fiancee Paulina Gretzky told Rosaforte was a “huge, big thud,” was more “discouraged” than upset at his predicament, Diovisalvi said.

“He told us, ‘I’m going to do everything I can to go out and play tomorrow,’” the trainer said. “That basically is his attitude. He was playing with [his son] Tatum. Life sometimes happens. He’s not angry or upset. I’d say more discouraged.”

The reigning U.S. Open champion also entered the week the favorite to win his first green jacket. After the fall, Johnson’s odds took a bit of a hit as he dropped to third at Bovada on Thursday morning. The 2015 Masters champ Jordan Spieth jumped into the favorite’s spot, with Rory McIlroy next up.

If he is able to play, Johnson will tee off at 2:03 p.m. ET with Bubba Watson and Jimmy Walker.