Golf:A concerned Lee Westwood suffered a recurrence of his calf injury at the Dunhill Links Championship today and may be advised to pull out of his bid to replace Tiger Woods as world number one.
Three days after enjoying another Ryder Cup victory, Westwood hurt himself a third of the way into his opening round of the at Kingbarns.
The 37-year-old battled on to score a two-under-par 70, only four off the lead, but immediately went off for treatment and to consult his physical trainer Steve McGregor on the telephone.
“I felt it coming off the seventh tee,” said Westwood, who will end Woods’s reign with a first or second place finish on Sunday.
“It was a really steep downslope and it’s really aching now like I’m doing too much too soon.”
The match against the Americans was Westwood’s first competitive golf since August 6th because of the problem and he added: “Playing two weeks in a row was probably too much in hindsight.
“I should have gone back to rehab. I’m going to go and get treatment and see how it is, but I don’t want to get back to where it was.
“It improved a lot, but it’s still not right. I can’t load my right side. I just want to get off it as quickly as possible.
Westwood added: “I’ve got my compression and ice machine with me and I’ll see the guys in the tour physio unit, then give Steve a ring.
“I was playing great before the injury and I’ve not had a chance to practise. That’s frustrating in itself. I’m just not able to work hard. I was advised not to flog myself last week and although I didn’t have to play five games it was four on a hilly, heavy course.
“Steve said it wouldn’t be right for six months. I don’t want to be stupid, that’s the problem. I made a mistake going to the Bridgestone.”
He pulled out on the second day in Akron, where he also had an opportunity to dethrone Woods.
“I should have stopped after the Open. I didn’t rest it when I should have done. It’s difficult because I’ve never been injured before and don’t know how careful I’ve got to be, but if it had happened yesterday I would have pulled out.
“I think Steve would like me to take a rest. If I keep coming back and it’s not right and all I can do is rehab away from the course I don’t think I’m being fair to myself, to be honest.
“All the biggest tournaments this year have gone. I missed the fourth biggest (the US PGA), I got back for the Ryder Cup and didn’t let anybody down. The most important thing is to be right physically for the Masters (next April).”
Ryder Cup vice-captain Thomas Bjorn was one of four joint leaders at the event, which is played over three of Scotland’s great links courses.
The Dane shot his 66 over the Old Course, as did Argentinean Ricardo Gonzalez, while US-based Scot Martin Laird secured his best-of-the-day six under at Kingsbarns. Dutchman Martin Lafeber’s 66 at Carnoustie was arguably the best of the lot, coming at the toughest course of the three.
Shane Lowry was the best of the dozen-strong Irish contingent on the Fife coast after he shot a three-under 69 at St Andrews. It could have been so much better for the former Irish Open champion after he went to the turn in 31 shots, five under.
A bogey at the 11th was wiped out with a birdie at 12, but Lowry would come unstuck on the 17th, taking a double-bogey six at the Road Hole.
Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell came back down to earth with a round of two-under 70 at Kingsbarns, the same mark as Peter Lawrie.
Rory McIlroy was one under after a 71 that included and eagle, four birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey, the same mark as Pádraig Harrington, who undid all his good work by finishing bogey-bogey at Kingsbarns. Michael Hoey also shot 71.