JUSTIN ROSE may be forced to pull out of the USPGA Championship today, which would spark a big fitness concern ahead of next month’s Ryder Cup.
The world No 3 missed last week’s Bridgestone Invitational with a back problem and decided against playing a practice round at Bellerive to give himself extra recovery time.
But he still looked in plenty of discomfort as he walked around the course with a couple of wedges and a putter over the past two days, and will make a decision on whether to tee it up in the 100th USPGA shortly before his 1.37pm tee time.
It is not the first time the 2013 US Open champion has suffered back trouble. He was forced to take eight weeks off with a similar problem shortly after winning an Olympic gold medal two years ago.
If this one proves anywhere near as bad, Rose will struggle to take his place on the Ryder Cup team.
That would hand European skipper Thomas Bjorn – who ironically withdrew from the USPGA yesterday with a back injury of his own – a big headache.
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Rose and Olympic silver medallist Henrik Stenson have become Europe’s most reliable pairing – and 2016 Open champion Stenson has been struggling recently with a wrist injury.
Rose, 38, was putting a brave face on things last night.
He said: “I’m managing it I felt something last week in my back and I knew it wouldn’t be a good idea to force it. I’ve been taking painkillers the last few days, but it is just a matter of not thinking about the pain.
“It’s not a muscle injury, just a blip after all the golf we’ve been playing but I’ve got to be careful with all the golf we’ve got to come. Would I be trying to play if it wasn’t a major? Possibly not.
“I decided against playing a full practice round and just walk the course because it’s going to play heavy and long. But it’s not one where you need to put in a lot of practice. It’s just target golf, to be honest.
“The good thing is I know when I’m fit enough to play. I’ve been through it all before with my back, and I won the Colonial on one leg in May after twisting my ankle – so maybe there’s even a good omen!”