The selection drama in the make-up of this year’s USA Ryder Cup team continues with an injury cloud now hanging over Matt Kuchar.
Kuchar withdrew with a back injury from the opening round of the 96th PGA Championship just prior to teeing-up on the Valhalla course in suburban Louisville, Kentucky.
Kuchar, 36 had spent time hitting balls on the practice range before advising officials he was not fit enough to compete and with his place in the field by Texan John Huh.
The withdrawal of Kuchar with less than seven weeks to the biannual showdown just adds to a growing list of concern for USA Ryder Cup Tom Watson starting with the shock sidelining of big-hitting Dustin Johnson, who announced last week he was taking an extended break from the game to deal with ‘personal challenges’.
The seven-time PGA Tour winning Kuchar and reigning Heritage Classic champion has competed in the past two Ryder Cups including teaming with Stewart Cink to earn two points in 2010 at Celtic Manor and joining Johnson to be undefeated in their two Fourball encounters two years ago at Medinah.
Matt Kuchar and Tiger Woods combined to be unbeaten in last year’s Presidents Cup but a year later there’s Ryder Cup uncertainty surrounding both golfers.
However it was in last year’s Presidents Cup where Kuchar excelled teaming with Tiger Woods to be undefeated at Muirville Villages in both their two Foursome and two Fourball matches.
The unbeaten pairing of management stablemates Kuchar and Woods provided Watson with a perfect Gleneagles combination until Woods underwent back surgery early this season.
Then there’s defending PGA champion Jason Dufner who has been carrying a neck injury for the past four months and revealing on the eve of this week’s event he underwent a epidural on Monday, and despite being advised by doctors he needs to rest for seven to 10 days, the 37-year old is competing this week.
However the Alabama native has not won since lifting the Rodman Wanamaker Trophy a year ago and with his best effort in 16 events this season being losing a play-off to Adam Scott in The Colonial in Texas.
Since then Dufner has played in five events with a best result of T19th at the Memorial but missing the cut in two other tournaments.
“I’ve found myself since getting the neck injury around the Masters that I am getting a little fatigued quicker than usual,” he said.
“I’m probably not going to be healthy until I can take six to eight weeks off. Not sure when that’s going to be. But I’ll get through it.
“Also being right on the edge of Ryder Cup selection and with a lot of points this week that’s an important thing for me to try and be part of.
“So hopefully I can have a good week. I have a plan in place if I make The Ryder Cup Team after this week; I have another plan in place if I don’t make The Ryder Cup Team.”
“But to be honest, it’s kind of a blessing. I need to take a serious look at my health and maybe make a better effort to be in better shape, because if you don’t have your health out here, as you see with a pretty prominent player and myself, it’s pretty hard to be competitive out here.”
And of course, there’s Tiger Woods and the big question facing Watson on September 2nd whether to hand him one of his three ‘wildcard’ picks.
It’s little wonder newly-appointed USA vice-captain Steve Stricker opened his comments on being handed a Gleneagles vice-captaincy role saying: “I don’t like that all these guys are showing up hurt or leaving the Tour for personal reasons.”
However Watson’s side will head to Scotland looking to deny Europe who has won seven of the past nine Ryder Cup’s.
