McGinley targets US Open action

Ireland’s Paul McGinley hopes to be back in action at next month’s US Open after undergoing a knee operation yesterday.

McGinley pulled out of the Nissan Irish Open after 13 holes of his first round and went straight to a local hospital.

A piece of bone “the size and thickness of the tip of a finger” was successfully removed from his left knee and the Dubliner is optimistic of making a quick recovery.

In a statement released to PA Sport, the 39-year-old Dubliner said: “I have been aware for a number of years that there was a piece of bone at the back of my left knee but only recently has it floated to the front.

“That was both good news and bad news; bad news in that it was causing more discomfort that I had experienced before but good in that it meant it was far easier to remove.

“Had it remained at the back of my knee my recovery period would have been somewhere between six to 10 weeks, but now I am hoping to be hitting balls in 10 days’ time.

“I have a 50-50 chance of playing in the Wales Open (from June 1-4) but more realistically it will be probably the US Open (June 15-18).”

McGinley currently lies seventh in the Ryder Cup standings but had missed the cut in his four previous tournaments before this week, and admits he is “looking over his shoulder” as the race for places in Ian Woosnam’s top hots up.