Ailing Woosnam limps off in Spain
A MYSTERY illness forced last year’s European Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam to retire from the Spanish Open today. The Welsh veteran was hoping to meet up with Tom Lehman, his opposite number from the 2007 match against the United States, at next week’s Italian Open but his participation is now in doubt.
Woosnam, 49, has a history of back problems and is injecting a revolutionary drug each week to keep him mobile as he plays out his European Tour career and looks forward to the seniors.
It was not the back problem, though, that caused him to limp off the course after only four holes of his weather-affected second round in Madrid.
“It’s not the back this time but my legs,” Woosnam said.
“The muscles are as hard as rocks and I’m in continual spasm in them as they seize up.
“But I’m continually tired as well. I only had to walk from the practice ground and I was knackered, I have no energy. Even if I’d got round (the course) it would have been a waste of time.
“I picked up a virus in Thailand earlier on in the year and it could be that; I hope it is, because this is a real worry.
“I’m going to see a specialist in London on Monday but I rang him last night and he told me he didn’t think it was the (TNF) injections.”
With the Wales Open in his home country coming up and a long run of events planned, Woosnam may now have to miss Lehman’s much-awaited return to Europe.
“The Ryder Cup was last year and it’s over. I’m not going to play next week if don’t feel well,” Woosnam added.
“My health is more important.”
Reuters