Stuart Appleby's back pain may rule out defence of Aussie Masters

Defending champion Stuart Appleby may be forced to pull out of this week's Australian Masters in Melbourne.
Chronic pain in his lower back is troubling the nine-time US PGA Tour winner ahead of the tournament at the Victoria Club where Appleby scored a one-shot victory 12 months ago.
"I haven't done many withdrawals prior to first rounds," said the 40-year-old, whose rivals this week include world No 1 Luke Donald.
"I don't know my body well enough to know whether I can manufacture something from an ad hoc swing or whether it's a futile fight that I need to try another day.
"I'll make that decision closer to the time."
Appleby also revealed that he wasn't 100% when he won at Victoria GC last year although he didn't have to contend with constant pain.
"I could actually still play and still turn my body around but this year it's been touchy," he said.
"I think that's been boiling all year. I hope I can get on top of that in the next 24 hours to get me to the first tee."
Appleby has endured a season of struggle on the US PGA Tour in 2011, missing 11 cuts, scoring just a single top 10 finish and twice withdrawing from tournaments after the opening round.
Back in his homeland, he missed the cut in the Australian Open the week before he watched the Internationals lose the Presidents Cup to the US while he was tied 19th in the Aussie PGA.
His victory in last year's Australian PGA was his first win on home soil for nine years.