Daly withdraws in Scotland

Former Open champion John Daly today became the 11th player to withdraw from the £2.2m (€3.2m) Barclays Scottish Open.

Daly pulled out before the start of his final round at Loch Lomond this morning, citing a wrist injury.

The 37-year-old, who won the Open at St Andrews in 1995, was four over par for the tournament after rounds of 74, 66 and 77.

The extent of the injury, and whether it will prevent Daly from playing in the Open at Sandwich, is not yet known.

Two other former major champions, Retief Goosen and Ian Woosnam, withdrew on Friday with back injuries, although Woosnam was hopeful of being fit to take part in final qualifying today and tomorrow.

The timing of final qualifying means players had to choose between trying to earn one of the 15 places for the Open available at the Scottish Open, or try to come through the 36-hole qualifying at one of four courses in Kent.

Seven places go to the highest finishers in a mini Order of Merit running from the Volvo PGA championship, while eight go to the leading players in the tournament not otherwise exempt.

Those who missed the cut at Loch Lomond were free to travel south and attempt to qualify, but the greater dilemma faced those who narrowly made the cut but were unlikely to finish high enough up the leaderboard to gain one of the eight automatic places.

The European Tour imposes no penalty if a player withdraws before the third round draw is made, but they cannot then play poorly in the third round and change their mind and travel to qualifying.

The R&A stipulate that “those players who appear in the draw for rounds three and four of the Scottish Open will be ineligible to compete in final qualifying.”

It was perhaps no surprise therefore to see so many withdrawals, especially given the bad weather on the first two days, but tournament director Mike Stewart said: “Players are entitled to withdraw if they have an injury or illness which is bothering them, as long as they subsequently provide a medical certificate.”