Another high-profile player has been bitten by the injury bug. After feeling the proverbial twinge early in his round, Phil Mickelson labored through 10 holes at the Valero Texas Open Saturday before calling it quits.

At issue: a strained muscle in the golfer’s side.

The left-hander’s back has been problem for him this season, and it’s not clear initially how this injury relates to the back injury that prompted him to withdraw during the Farmers Insurance Open at the beginning of the year. What is clear, however, is that the Masters is just two weeks away and the golfer would prefer not to be dealing with something so pesky and fickle as a muscle strain.

The golfer is slated to tee it up next week at the Shell Houston Open, as he traditionally does prior to the Masters. Whether he will go ahead with this plan is unclear. In a statement after his withdrawal, Mickelson said:

“I pulled a muscle on my downswing trying to hit it hard on the second hole. It just killed and it wouldn’t subside for 10 or 12 seconds. I’m going back to San Diego (for) a couple of days and have a doctor look at it, but there’s really not much you can do for a pulled muscle. I hope I’ll be OK to play the Shell in Houston, but I just don’t know.”

Mickelson was 1-over when he threw in the towel Saturday. He now joins Tiger Woods on the unofficial “Masters Injury Report,” looking questionable at the moment. Certainly, it’s too soon to speculate about whether Mickelson will be able to give it a go in two weeks. The golfer is reportedly flying home to San Diego for evaluation and treatment.

Hopefully, golf fans still have an appetite for stories related to Tour pros’ anatomies, as we’re sure to hear much about Mickelson’s side and Woods’ back in the coming week.