Consistent major contender Jason Day admits to fighting a hand injury following the British Open but remains certain it will not hamper his chances at next month’s US PGA Championship.
Day was expected to be among the challengers at the tournament, won by Phil Mickelson, but faded to a share of 33rd place following a final round 77 at Muirfield. Heading into the last day he was just one shot behind the American.
The young Queenslander said after the tournament he had been forced to play with pain down his right arm and wrist.
He believes the problem is being caused by a pinched nerve near his shoulder and was scheduled to have X-rays to try to pinpoint the issue.
However Day is confident of lining up in the final major of the year at Oak Hill, beginning on August 8.
"I want to make sure it’s not anything too severe and once I know the result I can plan accordingly on what tournaments I’m going to play,” Day told AAP. "But it shouldn’t jeopardise anything. The hand hurts but it’s not too bad."
Day was tied for second at last month’s US Open and, despite his British Open result, was upbeat about the week.
"It was a case of three good days and one average day,” he said. "I had the chance again to maybe put myself in position to win, because I played such good golf on the first three day. Unfortunately I didn’t play as well (on the last day) and I guess I’ve just to go away and look at what I did wrong.
Meanwhile the ever competitive Karrie Webb has seized her third victory of the season at the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters with a brilliant final round of 65 at Buckinghamshire Golf Club in Denham, England.
The world No.7 and seven-time major winner came from three strokes behind the overnight leaders to finish one ahead of South African Ashleigh Simon.
Webb’s win is the ideal warm-up for the coming week’s Ricoh Women’s British Open, on the Old Course at St Andrews, where she will attempt to claim the title for the fourth time.
"I came over here to get some tournament rounds under my belt, get some confidence going, get into the time zone and British conditions," Webb said. "To win is just the icing on the cake.
“I’m very happy with how I played this week and I got more and more confident on the course as the week went on.
“I hadn’t played the par fives particularly well this week but today I played them well with two eagles. It’s a great boost when conditions are tough."
Having signed for a three-round total of 200, 16-under-par, Webb had a nervous wait in the clubhouse to determine whether Simon or Caroline Masson could birdie the last to tie and force a play-off.
However, having hit the hole with her second shot from a bunker, Masson ended with a bogey and Simon’s birdie putt drifted low of the hole, handing the 38-year-old Australian the win and, with it, a cheque for 60,000 euros.
By: Robert Grant