O'Hern out of Aussie summer with injury
BY iseekgolf.com | 21 Nov 2008
A thumb injury has forced Aussie golfer Nick O’Hern to withdraw from all three of Australia’s biggest summer events it was announced today.
O’Hern will miss next week’s Sportsbet Masters, the Cadbury Schweppes Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Open and will be out of action for twelve weeks.
The popular left hander has succumbed to an injury first suffered at the AT&T National at the Congressional Country Club in the US in July but was able to continue playing with his hand taped.
“I slammed my left hand in a locker door and immediately went to the doctor who said I had a chronic partial tear of the ligament in my left thumb,” said O’Hern. “She made me a splint to wear off the course and I taped my hand while I was playing and it didn’t appear to effect my golf.”
“At the time the only other option was surgery which would have put me out of the game for up to three months so I kept playing hoping it would improve.”
O’Hern returned to Australia three weeks ago and following test results earlier this week he was advised of the need for surgery or the risk of further damage.
The 2006 Australasian Tour Order of Merit Champion, O’Hern has had two victories on home soil, the first at the 1999 Schweppes Coolum Classic and most recently a memorable win two years ago when he claimed the 2006 Cadbury Schweppes Australian PGA Championship on the fourth playoff hole after a titanic struggle with Peter Lonard. He has finished runner up three times at the Australian Open and this year finished 75th on the final US PGA TOUR Money List with four top ten finishes.
A disappointed O’Hern said the risk of worsening the injury was too big and he will have surgery next Tuesday in Perth.
“It’s such a shame, I’m obviously really disappointed,” said O’Hern from his home in Perth. “I love coming back to play the Aussie events, I just love the courses and playing at home.”
“I have had really good results, especially with winning the PGA and coming close to getting the Australian Open last year. I have been runner up there three times now and I was really hoping I could get out there and go one better this time.”
PGA of Australia Chief Executive Max Garske said the Tour would miss O’Hern but that recovery from injury was the most important thing for him right now.
“We are disappointed for Nick because he is such a popular player and great supporter of the Australasian Tour,” said Garske.
“We wish him all the best for a speedy rehabilitation and look forward to seeing him back out on the course next year.”
Source – PGA Australia
