FILE PHOTO: Charl Schwartzel of South Africa reacts to his shot off the second tee during first round play of the 2019 Master golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, U.S., April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
(Reuters) – South African Charl Schwartzel said on Sunday that he will miss the rest of the PGA Tour season to rehabilitate a wrist injury.
The 2011 Masters champion has not played since late in April, pulling out of last month’s PGA Championship and this month’s U.S. Open sectional qualifying.
“I’ve been forced, due to my wrist injury to take the remainder of the season off to give my wrist time to rest and heal!” he announced on Twitter.
“It’s very frustrating but with a long career still ahead of me, I will get this fixed and I look forward to the comeback.”
The break seems to all but rule out his chances of making the International team for December’s Presidents Cup in Australia.
Schwartzel, 34, has played in the past four stagings of the biennial event against the United States, finishing on the losing side each time.
He has been ranked as high as sixth in the world, and this time last year he was a healthy 16th.
Schwartzel won the Masters eight years ago with a scintillating finish that included birdies at the final four holes at Augusta National.
Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Ken Ferris
