Golf:Graeme McDowell wil not be facing Masters champion Phil Mickelson at the two-day Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda next month. He and the other two major winners will instead come up against Ernie Els after the world number two decided to pull out of the event.
With McDowell having lifted the US Open, Els' fellow South African Louis Oosthuizen the Open and German Martin Kaymer the US PGA it means that no American will be taking part in the four-man event for the first time since 1994.
A statement from the PGA of America said that Mickelson "will not be able to compete due to his diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis. Mickelson elected to rest and spend time with his family for a month after a busy late season schedule that includes the Ryder Cup."
'Lefty', who becomes America's joint record-holder when he earns his eighth cap against Europe at Celtic Manor next week, revealed his arthritic condition during the US PGA Championship last month.