European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance saw his hopes of victory in the Benson and Hedges International Open dashed at The De Vere Belfry, the Scot having to withdraw from the tournament minutes before he was due to tee off in the third round.
The 47 year old, who was at six under par after two rounds and only four shots behind leader Henrik Stenson, damaged the intercostal muscle between his ribs practicing on the range after his second round and indicated to tournament officials he was not fit to continue.
Torrance had physiotherapy last night and again this morning in an attempt to take his alloted 1.41pm tee-time alongside South African Desvonde Botes. But a further session on the practice range confirmed to the Scot he would be unable to play.
“Before I played yesterday the first wedge shot I hit yesterday I felt almost a tightening in my chest, I didn’t know what it was but it seemed to pass after two or three shots, no problem,” he said.
“After I finished I went and practiced with my dad and it turned out to be the last driver that I hit on the range it felt like something had almost popped in my chest. I went for ultrasound and massage treatment straight away and rested it last night.
“I had a couple of twinges during the night when I was turning over and then I got up this morning just hoping it would be gone. I went and hit a wedge on the range and thought, ‘Oh no’ because it was just like a knife going in.
“I went back to the physio van but he told me there was no point in taking an injection to hide the pain because I would only make it worse. I believe Andrew Coltart had the same thing a while ago, tried to play one round, and was out for three or four weeks.
“It just wasn’t worth the risk so I just had to withdraw but my swing will still be there when the pain goes so I’ll give it three or four days and hopefully it will be okay. I’ll freeze it at night and again in the morning and I should be fine for Germany.
“I suppose the one good thing to come from this is, that no matter how many injuries I get in September, it won’t affect the performance of the team! I can walk and talk, pick and choose, bully and shout even though I have damaged ribs.”
It is the third time in his career, Torrance has suffered injury at The De Vere Belfry, the previous two occasions both occuring in 1993.
The first one saw him walk into a plant pot in his room and crack his sternum, causing him to withdraw from the English Open at the Forest of Arden, while in September of that year, he had to have a toenail removed which forced his withdrawal from the Ryder Cup.
