Fred Couples' back will force him to miss the US Senior Open. (USATSI)

Fred Couples' back issues are not going away.

And now, Couples, 55, is going to be forced to miss the US Senior Open, which is set to begin on Thursday in Sacramento. 

This is the second straight year that Couples won't be playing in the US Senior Open, a tournament that he's never won, though he finished in second place in 2010. Like last year, his absence is directly related to his back issues. 

When looking at Couples' year as a whole, it's been a year marked by injury and disappointment. Earlier this year, he missed the cut at the Masters. The last time he played a competitive round was back in April. And he wasn't able to qualify for the US Open, which just wrapped up this past weekend, even though it was finally being held in his home state of Washington. 

Couples will be replaced by Paul Trittler.