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Levet celebrations put Open at risk

Golf: Jumping in a lake to celebrate his French Open win has put Thomas Levet out of this week’s Scottish Open - and quite possibly…

Thomas Levet of France and his manager Patrice Bartez, jump into the lake on the 18th hole after winning the French Open. It later emerged Levet fractured his shin and is out of the Scottish Open and possibly the British Open. Photograph: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Thomas Levet of France and his manager Patrice Bartez, jump into the lake on the 18th hole after winning the French Open. It later emerged Levet fractured his shin and is out of the Scottish Open and possibly the British Open. Photograph: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Mon Jul 04 2011 - 01:00

Golf:Jumping in a lake to celebrate his French Open win has put Thomas Levet out of this week's Scottish Open - and quite possibly the British Open at Sandwich next week as well.

The 42-year-old suffered a small fracture to his shin and had his leg put in a cast today.

Levet, who lost a five-hole play-off to Ernie Els in the 2002 Open at Muirfield, is to receive intensive treatment and will consult a specialist again later this week before making a decision about whether to travel to Sandwich next week.

The former Ryder Cup player won his national Open by a shot from England’s Mark Foster and Dane Thorbjorn Olesen 25 years after first playing in the event.

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He had already come through a qualifier at Sunningdale for the Open, but now has a question mark over his participation just like Tiger Woods, who has not played since mid-May because of knee and Achilles injuries, and Vijay Singh, who pulled out of last week’s event in America because of back trouble.

Keeping with the injury theme Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal and big hitting fellow Spaniard Alvaro Quiros have also withdrawn from this week’s event in Scotland.

For Olazabal, who has battled with rheumatic pains for well over a decade, it means he will not be part of the Open.

He was due to take part in a qualifying tournament in Kent last week, but pulled out of that and the French Open.

Castle Stuart near Inverness would have been his last chance. An Open spot is on offer to the leading non-exempt player providing he finishes in the top five.