Casey forced to withdraw in Ohio and now a real

doubt for US PGA Championship

FROM THE SCOTSMAN SPORTS WEBSITE
By Simon Lewis in Akron
WORLD No 3 Paul Casey was forced to quit the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational after just six holes at Firestone Country Club – throwing his participation in next week's US PGA Championship into serious doubt.
The Englishman, a three-time winner in 2009, was level par for his round when he teed off at the seventh hole but he immediately clutched his chest as he sent his ball into right rough.
Casey, whose injury was confirmed as a pulled muscle under his rib cage, had achieved two top-10 finishes in his last three visits to Firestone, claiming a tie for fourth in 2006 and a tie for eighth last year.
His withdrawal comes seven days before the start of final major of 2009, this year's US PGA being staged at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minnesota.
He revealed he had been struggling with the problem since before last month's Open at Turnberry."I think I strained an intercostal (muscle]). I actually did it a couple of weeks ago, a week before the Open, hitting drivers with (coach Peter] Kostis. I'm blaming Kostis," Casey joked.
"I battled through the Open. Haven't done much in a couple weeks, tried to rest it and then tweaked it in the rough on Monday. I've been back in the trailer every day this week trying to get treatment on it, icing it, rolling it off, then hitting some golf balls when we're done, and it just wasn't working."
As to his participation at Hazeltine, Casey did not paint a positive picture. "I've got to be careful because there's a lot of important golf left. You know, FedExCup, Race to Dubai, a lot of big stuff," he said. "I was even par for six holes. I wasn't doing too badly. But it just felt so bad."
Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng and Tim Clark of South Africa set the early pace as the first wave of starters completed their opening rounds. Marksaeng opened with three birdies in a row, starting from the 10th tee on the tough, 7,400-yard, par-70 South Course, but closed bogey, bogey on the way to a seven-birdie, three-bogey 66.
That gave him the early clubhouse lead at four under par, where he was joined by Clark, whose 66 featured six birdies and two bogeys. Open champion Stewart Cink and England's Ian Poulter were among a group of late starters quickly moving to two under.
Lee Westwood, a joint runner-up here last year, six-time winner Tiger Woods and US PGA champion Padraig Harrington all reached one under early in their rounds.
Defending champion Vijay Singh, world No 2 Phil Mickelson and Masters champion Angel Cabrera were in a large group that posted level-par 70s.
Mickelson, returning after taking six weeks off to care for his wife Amy as she began treatment for breast cancer, showed some rust with a double-bogey six at his second hole of the day, the 11th, and went out in a three-over 38, only to claw his way back with three birdies on the back nine.
Also at level par were England's Luke Donald and Ross Fisher.
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