GOLF/Tuscon Open: If anyone were in need of a lucky charm - be it a rabbit's foot, a little leprechaun or one of those Chinese zodiac stones - then it would have to be Richie Coughlan. Due to compete in yesterday's first round of the Tucson Open on the US Tour, the Irish golfer was forced to withdraw before play on medical advice after a bone scan discovered a small crack in a rib.

Coughlan, who missed much of the early part of last season because of stress fractures in his rib cage, caused by an innocuous fall when he was lifting a luggage bag, was handed a "minor medical exemption" to enable him to play in a number of tournaments this season.

However, after feeling some discomfort during the recent Buick Invitational in San Diego, where he made the cut, he decided to undergo a precautionary scan earlier this week. The results confirmed a cracked rib.

"The specialist told me that it was an injury that was not to be golfed on, so I had no choice other than to withdraw from the tournament (in Tucson)," said Coughlan.

"Because so many of the top Americans are playing in La Costa, this was obviously an ideal opportunity for me to tie up some loose ends with regard to ensuring playing privileges for the rest of the season. Once I got the results of the scan, however, I simply had to take the doctor's advice," he said.

Meanwhile, Michael Allen fired an early, eight-under-par 64 to grab a one shot lead from Fred Funk in Tucson.