Johnson's back finally feeling good after Masters fall

World number one Dustin Johnson

Dustin Johnson hopes he is starting to see the end of his back problems that began with an untimely fall on the eve of The Masters.

The world number one headed to Augusta National as hot favourite to add to his U.S. Open win in 2016 after three consecutive PGA Tour titles in seven starts.

But he fell down a staircase the night before the opening round and although he tried to play he was forced to withdraw due to the back problem.

As he continued to struggle with the issue Johnson failed to make the cut when defending his U.S. Open title last month, and was well out of the running at the Open Championship - where he finished tied for 54th place.

Johnson said he still receives regular treatment on his back to ease his tight muscles, and the 33-year-old hopes he will be fit enough to be in contention at the upcoming US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.

"It wasn't bone or anything like that, just muscle [that I injured]," he told a media conference ahead of the Canadian Open.

"I'm still feeling the effects of it. No pain or anything like that but it's still a little tight. I'm having to get worked on a good bit just to try and loosen up those muscles and those tendons where it got injured. 

"Mentally [there is] just a little lack of confidence maybe just because I was playing so well leading into that and probably for the last 10 or 12 months, about a year, leading up to the Masters I'd been playing really good golf. Maybe even more than a year. 

"It's been a little bit of a struggle, just to get back. I've had to put in a lot of work just to get back to where I was. 

"I'm starting to see signs of it, so it's all good, it's all positive and it's all definitely moving forward."

A 64 on day three at Royal Birkdale showed signs of Johnson's recovery and despite carding a seven-over 77 on the Sunday he believes he has turned a corner.

"I played a good round on Saturday and then just struggled on Sunday a little bit with everything [at The Open]," Johnson said.

"Coming over here, I mean obviously I've played here the last couple of years at Glen Abbey, I like this golf course, I've played well here the last couple of years and I'm looking forward to it this year. 

"I feel like the game's starting to turn around and it's a good time for it to do that, got a few big weeks ahead of me, this week, next week and then the PGA, so it's been good, just working hard."