Norman, Baddeley & Ogilvy out of Wachovia, Laycock in
IN: News | US PGA | Wachovia Championship (2003) | General | by Bruce Young | 07 May 2003
Update - Aaron Baddeley has been forced to withdraw from this week's tournament with his ankle injury still causing him discomfort in certain areas of his game. His management confirms that he is almost certain for a start at next week's Byron Nelson Classic.
Greg Norman and Geoff Ogilvy are late withdrawals from this week's Wachovia Championship with Norman still recovering from a fractured lumber.
Shark.com reports that "Norman sought medical advice early in April which revealed a stress fracture on the right facet of the L5 vertebrae. The prescribed treatment for the injury is rest as well as ongoing treatments."
"Dr. Day suggested I rest my back for four to six weeks," Norman said on Shark.com. "He told me to continue doing everything that I normally would with the exception of any activity that creates torque or extensional stress on my spine -- which eliminates golf for a few weeks. My desire remains to return to the game as soon as possible with the ultimate goal to be both mentally and physically prepared for a return to St. George's for the Open Championship in July, and if I get back on the golf course sometime in May I will have every opportunity to be sharp for that event."
Norman's doctor says the "injury is fairly common in people that play sports professionally, particularly golf". He also remarked that "it is generally not career threatening, and is usually treatable through anti-inflammatory medications, rest and proper exercise."
Their withdrawal along with that of Scott Verplank, Harrison Frazar, David Sutherland, J.L. Lewis, David Sutherland and Cameron Beckman allows Scott Laycock, Anthony Painter, Mathew Goggin, Patrick Sheehan, Brian Watts, Donnie Hammond, Todd Fischer, Jason Caron and Mike Heinen a start in the $US5.6 million dollar event.
