Lee Westwood has pulled out of the JP McManus Pro-am in order to have intensive treatment on his leg injury.
The Open starts at St Andrews on Thursday week and is obviously the main priority for the world number three, who lost by a shot at Turnberry last year and was runner-up in The Masters in April, so he has opted to withdraw from the Adare Manor event, which got underway this morning and finishes tomorrow.
The early scoring saw two Irishmen – US Open champion Graeme McDowell and Damien McGrane – among a five-man leading group on one under at the turn.
Westwood limped through last week’s French Open and flew home last night admitting that his right calf problem had got progressively worse as the tournament went on.
“Two people think I should have an MRI scan and the sooner I get it done the better,” said the 37-year-old.
He managed a closing 70 for 18th place at Le Golf National, but he told Press Association Sport: “I had a three-iron at the third from a ball-below-feet lie and I think I just tweaked it.
“After that I could hardly put any weight on it.”
Westwood was in hospital last Wednesday when an on-course examination raised the fear he might have a blood clot or deep vein thrombosis.
Further tests put his mind at rest on that, leaving Westwood convinced that he has been carrying an injury all year.
He pulled out of this week’s Scottish Open a fortnight ago and was planning an early visit to St Andrews in a few days, but whether that now takes place remains to be seen.
Along with McDowell, world number one Tiger Woods is the main attraction at Adare Manor. It will be his first appearance on this side of the Atlantic since the revelations about his extra-marital affairs which shocked the sporting world last November.
Woods was the winner of the last two Opens at St Andrews - by eight shots in 2000 and by five in 2005 - but has yet to taste victory on his return to action this season.
He was fourth in both The Masters and US Open, but apart from that has not finished higher than 19th and last week did not break par on any day in finishing 46th at the AT&T National.