Steve Stricker will not be serving as a last-minute substitute for the injury-nagged United States at next month's Ryder Cup after saying he will not play again until December.
The 47-year-old American was selected as an assistant captain for Tom Watson's squad that will try to reclaim the trophy from Europe next month at Gleneagles, Scotland.
With Stricker ranked among the top 25 and sharing seventh at the PGA Championship earlir this month, Watson played coy about Stricker's chances to help out in a pinch, saying he asked Stricker to pack his clubs for the trip to Britain.
But Stricker told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in an e-mail that he would shut down his game due to injuries, telling his home-state's largest newspaper he has a torn labrum in his left hip and herniated neck and back discs.
"Sounds like I've got a back and hip issue," Stricker told the newspaper. "Going to shut it down till December. Rest and rehab and then try to play and see how it goes."
Stricker will miss the US PGA Tour's season-ending playoffs for the first time.
The US Ryder Cup team has also lost 14-time major winner Tiger Woods to injuries and Matt Kuchar and 2013 PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner have nagging injuries that jeopardize their ability to compete in the Cup or playoffs.
Dustin Johnson also took a leave of absence from the tour for the remainder of the season, with Golf.com reporting he tested positive for cocaine.
Source: AFP
