JERSEY CITY — Tiger Woods withdrew from the Northern Trust on Friday morning, a few hours before his 12:33 p.m. tee time, citing a mild oblique sprain. It is the first time that he has failed to finish an event that he started since he returned to competitive golf last year from spinal fusion surgery, which he described as “a last resort” after three less complex operations.

The last time Woods, 43, pulled out of a PGA Tour event after the action started was at the Farmers Insurance Open in 2015. By the end of that year he had undergone two back procedures. He also withdrew after the first day of a tournament in Dubai in 2017.

Coming into this week, Woods had played just 12 competitive rounds since he won the Masters this year for his first major title since 2008. He said he has been limited in how much he can practice or play without feeling more than the usual amount of pain or risking another injury that would probably end his career and perhaps even compromise his quality of life off the course.

Woods played nine holes Tuesday, then woke up Wednesday feeling stiff, which prompted him to refrain from hitting any shots with woods or irons during most of the back nine of his pro-am round. He walked alongside his amateur partners and struck putts and chips. The last time Woods played at this course, in the 2013 FedEx Cup playoffs, he experienced back spasms during his final round, and after one shot, from the 13th fairway, he fell to his knees in agony.