A Howell of frustration

Is there a more injury-prone player? David Howell yesterday withdrew from the US Open, not because of the back injury that has plagued his season but due to a wrist strain suffered while hitting balls on the range as part of his rehabilitation.

Howell sustained the injury at the Queenwood Club, outside London, last Sunday week when he started to hit some balls in preparation for the US Open, having withdrawn from defending his BMW PGA title at Wentworth. "It was innocuous, I didn't think I'd done anything. I wasn't swinging it particularly well, but I had no reason to think I had done anything particularly bad to my wrist. I hadn't hit any strange shots or heavy one," said Howell, shortly after informing USGA officials at Oakmont of his intention to withdraw.

The Englishman made the journey to Pittsburgh on Saturday and played nine holes over the course on Sunday. "I just wanted to come over. I couldn't be sat at home on Tuesday feeling that my wrist is fine and missing the US Open. So I wanted to come over and at least be here in the hope it might work out all right. But it didn't."

Howell knew his fate when he realised he was being tentative about hitting shots out of the ferocious Oakmont rough. After conducting a number of tests with physio Dale Richardson yesterday, a decision was taken to withdraw. "It had deteriorated, so that was it I'm afraid," said Howell, whose last tournament outing at the Players last month finished after just two holes of the first round when he had to retire with a back injury.

"I'm having an awful time," added Howell. "It just seems my body gets injured doing anything for whatever reason. I can't explain it. I was putting ice on my wrist for the injury and I got frostbite. I couldn't even get that right."