Injured KLM Open champion Joost Luiten bizarrely was forced to play one shot off the opening tee before withdrawing due to a right shoulder injury.

Luiten injured his left shoulder in the gym of the on-course Crowne Plaza Hotel here at Lake Malaren and informed officials he was withdrawing from the event.

But under the rules of the European Tour’s Final Series he was obliged to tee up so as the event will count as among the three compulsory events Tour members need to contest in the four end of season tournaments.

Eoin Clarke’s exclusive photograph of Dutchman Joost Luiten being driven back to the clubhouse after playing just one shot on the opening day of the BMW Masters. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)

Luiten, it is understood from reliable souruces, was tempted to use a putter off the tee just to prove a point but instead he bravely stuck with protocol hitting a driver that was lucky to have travelled 100 yards.

Looking on was tournament first reserve Justin Walters of South Africa and currently ranked 67th on the Race to Dubai.

However if Luiten was to abide by the Final Series rules then it meant Walters, who had finished runner-up in the Portugal Masters, missing out.

Luiten apologised to the South African and leaving playing partners Luke Donald and Miguel Angel Jimenez to play as a two ball.

Luiten was returning home to the Netherlands to have an MRI on his shoulder and after speaking with physio staff present here in Shanghai he was quitely-confident the shoulder was not seriously injured.

He is currently lying 11th on the Race to Dubai and Euro 2,833 behind the 10th ranked Peter Uhlein and hence the need to tee up to be eligble as well for the Bonus Pool by ending the year top-10.