BERNHARD LANGER had a full body scan in a Hamburg hospital last night after limping painfully out of the Deutsche Bank Open at the Gut Kaden club and suffering a severe muscle spasm in his back.
Ryder Cup captain Seve Ballesteros, who had been forced to withdraw from last week's Volvo PGA Championship with a similar problem, joined the German star on the sidelines by also failing to make the halfway cut. Langer, who hurt his back driving off the 10th tee, and was accompanied by Tour physiotherapist John Shrewsbury for the rest of his round, shot 76 for 147.
Ballesteros added a 79 to his opening 77 to finish 17 shots behind the surprise halfway leader, Van Phillips from England.
Langer's brother Erwin reported that the X-rays revealed that the former Masters champion did not appear to have a serious disc problem as was first feared. He had been unable to stand unaided after seeking post-round treatment in the Tour's physiotherapy unit.
He is scheduled to fly to the USA this week for the Kemper and US Opens, then return to Germany for the German Open in Stuttgart. Those plans are likely to be amended. Ballesteros also does not know when he will next play tournament golf. After missing the cut for the eighth time in 10 European events this year he said: "It has not been a good year for me. I have not been able to play, and I have not been able to get any rhythm, concentration or confidence."
Last week the Spaniard hinted that he was considering surgery for his long-standing back problems. Whether or not he does so, his hopes of being a playing captain of this year's Ryder Cup team look increasingly remote.
Paul McGinley was fortunate not to also be sidelined because of injury after being hurt in an impromptu football match at a players' party on Thursday night. The Dubliner thought he had merely suffered bruising when he collided with Londoner Robert Lee, but when he limped into the physiotherapy unit for treatment yesterday morning, severely stretched ligaments around his right shin were diagnosed. He had the leg heavily strapped, and will be having further treatment during the weekend.
"I was worried that I might have to miss the US Open," said McGinley. "My leg is very sore, and my thigh hurts as well. The physiotherapists tell me it will get more painful over the next week before it gets better."
Despite his discomfort McGinley avoided the prospect of a hat-trick of failures by getting birdies at the last two holes. He sank putts of 12 and 15 feet, having earlier twice been in hazards to take two sixes. His 73 enabled him to beat the cut by one stroke.
Darren Clarke also got through by the skin of his teeth - thanks to a 15-yard bunker shot at the 18th which finished two feet from the hole, enabling him to obtain the par four he needed for a regulation 72 and a two-over 146.
As on Thursday, Clarke began with nine successive pars, but then broke the sequence by holing from 25 feet for a birdie three at the 10th. He was down from 40 feet for another birdie at the 13th to remain inside the cut-off mark, but put himself in jeopardy by three-putting the short 16th. His six-iron approach to the home hole drifted into sand, but last week's joint runner-up was equal to the challenge, and along with the other 66 qualifiers who are bracketed by only seven shots, finds himself with an unexpected winning chance.
"I am mentally tired but hopefully I can find something early in the third round and make a big move," he said.
Ronan Rafferty, who had five birdies in a 71 for level par 144, is the other Irish qualifier. The unsuccessful trio were Des Smyth (74-147), Raymond Burns (76-149) and David Higgins (77-152).
. Graham Spring slipped down the leaderboard on the final day of the Northern Open at the Elgin Club in Scotland.
Closing rounds of 70 and 72 left the 24-year-old from Tralee in joint 21st place on three over par 279,12 shots behind the winner, Scotsman David Thompson.
Warrenpoint's Jim Carville finished 27th on 281, after closing rounds of 68 and 72.
