West Palm Beach, FL (AHN) - Hall of Fame LPGA golfer, Annika Sorenstam, widely recognized as the second best golfer on the planet next to Tiger Woods, has withdrawn from this week's upcoming LPGA Ginn Open in Florida after announcing she is suffering from a ruptured disc in her back.

Sorenstam will miss at least a month with the injury.

"I've been playing with quite a bit of pain for the past several weeks," Sorenstam said in a statement.

Sorenstam was diagnosed Wednesday afternoon with severely herniated and bulging discs in her back after visiting doctors in South Florida.

"I couldn't take it much more and decided it was time to see someone after the pro-am yesterday," Sorenstam said. "I withdraw with deep regret as the Ginn Open is one of the finest tournaments we have, and it is in my home town of Orlando."The injury is the first major physical ailment in Sorenstam's 13-year professional career. Sorenstam has won 10 majors and 69 tournaments overall in her stellar career.

According to the statement, Sorenstam is scheduled to travel to Miami today to visit a neurosurgeon before appearing at the the grand opening of the Annika Academy at Ginn Reunion on Monday.