Belguim’s Nicolas Colsaerts was in tears after been forced out with injury of the eve of this year’s 140th Open Championship at Royal St. George’s in Kent.

Colsaerts tumbled off a scooter he was riding on Monday afternoon and injuring his right elbow.

Volvo China Open winner Nicolas Colsaerts out of The Open.

It’s a bitter blow for the big-hitting 28-year who broke through this year to finally capture his first Race to Dubai title success – the Volvo China Open.

Colsaerts place has been taken by American Scott Verplank.

“I rented a scooter last night and went into Sandwich but I went over the pavement and fell on my elbow,”  Colsaerts told Reuters earlier this week after the agency had been firstly alerted to ths mishap by www.golfbytourmiss.com

“The elbow doesn’t feel the best right now but we are working on the swelling with the physio.”

The injury meant Colsaerts was unable to practise on either Tuesday or today and he had little option to advise the R & A of his withdrawal.

He’s had the elbow wrapped since the injury but was in tears on the Royal St. George’s practice range when he found himself resigned not to playing.

“I wanted so much to play in The Open and I’m really sad at this moment,” he said.

“I’m not a risk-taker usually, I’m no dare-devil.

“I was just trying to get into a little safer place but it worked against me.

“There was no alcohol involved or anything — don’t worry about that. But you have to do something to while away the time, you can’t just sit in your room and do nothing.

“I’m usually fine on two wheels. I’ve ridden in heavy traffic in Thailand before so it shouldn’t really have been an issue.”

Colsaerts place in The Open was taken by Rickie Barnes.

Bizarrely, it’s the second ‘out of the mill’ injury to befall a European Tour player contesting golf’s oldest Major.

Frenchman Thomas Levet has his leg in plaster after snapping a small bone in his shin in jumping into the water in winning the French Open.