Oosthuizen pulls out of Singapore Open

Open champion Louis Oosthuizen has pulled out of this week's Singapore. The South African, after a month out recovering from an ankle injury received during a hunting trip, returned at last week's WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
With a specially fitted brace which he is supposed to wear for three months, he could only produce scores of 69, 80, 80 and 72 that left him well down the field.
"The problem is the brace is just too tight and along with the bandage I have to put around it, I feel as though I might be doing the ankle more harm than good," said Oosthuizen.
"Reluctantly I've had to pull out of this week's Singapore Open. I'm going to take another two weeks off and see if it's any better."
His withdrawal deprives the Singapore Open, which starts on Thursday, of the opportunity of having the year's four Major champions in the same field.

"It's disappointing, but I just can't go out there shooting 80s, and be struggling with my ankle, as that's no fun, at all," he said.
"I can't remember the last time I ever had back-to-back 80s in my career. Those scores certainly are not me and it's only because my ankle was causing me so much discomfort."

Oosthuizen, who won his first major at St Andrews last July, said he would now spend a fortnight in Dubai in the company of his trainer.

"We thought the best place to be was Dubai so that I'll be in the same place for three weeks, what with two weeks of resting the ankle and more treatment plus looking for a better brace ahead of the Dubai World Championship," he said.

"I've got a heavy schedule of golf up to Christmas what with the event in Dubai and then events in South Africa, including the South African Open that I am so much looking forward to contesting as the Open Champion."