AARON BADDELEY Picture: Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Aaron Baddeley's US PGA Tour play-offs campaign has come to an abrupt end with the Australian withdrawing injured from the Northern Trust event in New Jersey.

But the 38-year-old insists he will return to competition soon, motivated to convince golf great Ernie Els to select him as a captain's pick for the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in December.

Baddeley, who had not touched a golf club in six weeks prior to the FedEx Cup play-offs opener due to a back injury, lasted just four holes of the opening round at Liberty National golf course.

It was his first appearance in the PGA Tour's post-season since 2016.

Ranked 112th on the FedEx Cup standings, Baddeley's withdrawal means he cannot advance to next week's BMW Championship.

"It felt like I would only make it worse, so it's best not to play," Baddeley told AAP.

"The injury feels like it has healed, but the sides of my back still feel really tight.

Baddeley, a four-time US PGA Tour winner, says he will be ready for the circuit's Fall series which starts in September.

That is when Baddeley aims to string together a series of hot results given he desperately wants to play at the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in mid-December.

Currently at 50th on the International team standings, Baddeley can't be one of the eight qualifiers for the rest-of-the-world side given they are finalised next week.

But he has until early November to convince Els to be one of his four captain's picks for Royal Melbourne.

Baddeley was on the International team when the Cup was last held at Royal Melbourne in 2011.

Baddeley attended an Internationals team meeting at Liberty National on Tuesday, led by four-time major winner Els.