It has been a pretty horrendous sevens days, born of injury and the resulting frustration. Last Tuesday, or at least I think it was then, I tore a muscle in my chest while on the practice range. It wasn't any one shot, just accumulated wear and tear, according to the medical people.

I sustained the damage to the top part of my rib cage. I didn't really notice anything at first but on Wednesday I was a little bit stiff after playing in the Pro-Am of the Kemper Open at Maryland, and then going out to practice. By Thursday the condition was painful but armed with four Advil (an American version of Anadin) I was determined to play in the first round to at least fully test the injury.

Things progressed reasonably well and I found myself one under with four holes to play but coming to the par five 15th the effects of the medication were wearing off and given that it was now evening time, I began to feel both the cold and a little pain.

I had only a sand wedge for my third shot over water but I could not properly get down to the shot, struck it a little fat and ended up in the water. I made double bogey and promptly followed this up with a bogey, turning a potential 69 into a 74. Seething probably sums up how I was feeling by the time I reached the clubhouse.

The following morning I simply could not play, wasn't able to tie my laces let alone swing a club. I checked with the medical trailer on the course and they told me to go down to the range and see if I could swing the club: if I couldn't then I was to pull out, which is exactly what I did.

Friday is my day, the day when I enjoy my best stroke average in a tournament. Maybe it's the buzz from trying to make a cut but I always seem to play well, something I have got to translate to the Saturday and Sunday. To miss out was excruciating, not to mention financially damaging.

It put me in a bad mood for the weekend. I headed up to Albany, New York, where I hooked up with Kevin O'Haire and a few other friends before driving down for the Buick Classic at Westchester Golf Club on Sunday night. I am still hopeful that I will be able to play.

I pulled out of yesterday's Pro-Am so as not to aggravate the damage. At the moment I am wearing a brace, rubbing in creams and taking medication to try and speed up the healing process. I have been told to take things easy, to restrict myself to chipping and putting.

I took time out to get a putting lessons from Tim Heron, a young pro who won the Honda Classic last year. He got me to get my hands up and that has made a difference. The injury has come at an inopportune time in that I feel that my game is coming together. I am striking the ball solidly and beginning to hole the putts. That is why I am anxious not to miss out this week.

This is a tournament to which I have been looking forward all year because many of my friends will be present, including a couple from Birr, Benny Hayes and Brendan McMenamin. Some representatives from the clothing company that sponsors me, Sportsmaster, will be there. Aside from those familiar faces, I am staying in a hotel which holds fond memories, the Rye Town Hilton, which housed the Britain and Ireland team for last year's Walker Cup. Missing out on yesterday's Pro-Am, while a missed opportunity financially, is something of a blessing in other ways. The average round in a Pro-Am over here takes over six hours and is a monumental test of patience. Most of the amateurs can't hit a ball out of their way and I mean literally can't hit a ball.

For me now it is just an endless routine of curtailed practice and treatment. We have reached the mid point of the year and I obviously don't need to be injured. I'm not getting panicky but I could do with making some decent cheques pretty soon, something of which I am capable.

My game is solid and all it would take is one really big week and then the worries for the rest of the season would be over. It would allow me to develop my game without the spectre of the tour school hanging over me. But to do so I have to be playing and my sole preoccupation is to get back out on the fairways. Hopefully, I will be there this week. I don't think I could bear to watch an opportunity slip by without swinging a club in anger. If at all possible I will be teeing up come Thursday.