Retief Goosen's hopes of getting his career back on track at this week's Qatar Masters were thrown into turmoil after the defending champion was forced to pull out of the event suffering from an eye complaint after undergoing laser surgery 10 days ago.
The South African dropped out of the world's top 20 following an indifferent 2007 despite his sensational victory at the Doha Golf Club 12 months ago and was looking forward to defending his crown.
The current world number 28 has been working hard on his swing and has hired a swing coach after slipping down from eighth place on the world rankings in nine months.
But following practice on Tuesday and a visit to Dubai for further treatment, Goosen was still having problems with his vision before yesterday's Pro-Am and has returned to London for further treatment.
"I am obviously very sad that I am unable to defend my title," Goosen said.
"I came all this way to play but unfortunately the eye is causing a problem. I thought it would come good but it hasn't. I went to Dubai yesterday and the advice was to go back to London."
Goosen's participation in next week's Dubai Desert Classic is now also in doubt. "I have had laser eye treatment before, seven years ago, and felt it needed a touch-up which I had done 10 days ago. But there has been a bit of growth with a fibre in the left eye," the 38-year-old said.
"It is a very simple procedure to take it out and the advice was to do it sooner.
"It is a shame as I love this event, love this course and I can't remember the last time I pulled out of a tournament. I think I pulled out of the Scottish Open once with a back injury but that is all. You are never happy leaving a tournament without teeing up."
Doha Tee-times
FIRST ROUND
( Irish (in bold)and Brit unless stated)
( all times Local): (x) denotes amateurs
Selected Players
Starting at hole 1: 06.50 - Bradley Dredge, Markus Brier (Aut), Jonathan Moore (USA). 07.00 - Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg), Carl Suneson (Spa), Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe). 07.10 - Graeme Storm, Mikko Ilonen (Fin), Jean Van de Velde (Fra). 07.20 - Paul Broadhurst, Anthony Wall, Mardan Mamat (Sin). 07.30 - Johan Edfors (Swe), Scott Drummond, Andrew Coltart. 07.40 - Shiv Kapur (Ind), Martin Erlandsson (Swe), Marcus Fraser (Aus). 07.50 - Ross McGowan, Pablo Martin (Spa), Gregory Havret (Fra). 08.00 - Thomas Levet (Fra), Sam Walker, Joakim Haeggman (Swe). 08.10 - Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Jose-Filipe Lima (Por), Seve Benson. 08.20 - Gary Murphy, Emanuele Canonica (Ita), Peter O'Malley (Aus). 11.00 - Carlos Rodiles (Spa), Pelle Edberg (Swe), Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra). 11.10 - Peter Lawrie, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe), Barry Lane. 11.20 - Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Ignacio Garrido (Spa), Oliver Fisher. 11.30 - Scott Strange (Aus), David Frost (Rsa), Oliver Wilson. 11.40 - Niclas Fasth (Swe), Nick Dougherty, Scott Verplank (USA). 11.50 - Ian Poulter, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind), Colin Montgomerie. 12.00 - Robert Karlsson (Swe), Richard Finch, Paul Casey. 12.10 - Sergio Garcia (Spa), Paul McGinley, Adam Scott (Aus). 12.20 - David Howell, Peter Hanson (Swe), Rory McIlroy. 12.30 - Simon Khan, Damien McGrane, Benn Barham
Starting at hole 10: 06.50 - Ariel Canete (Arg), Marcel Siem (Ger), Steve Webster. 07.00 - Anton Haig (Rsa), Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Jose Manuel Lara (Spa). 07.10 - Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa), Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Paul Lawrie. 07.20 - John Bickerton, Phillip Archer, Peter Hedblom (Swe). 07.30 - Richard Green (Aus), Thomas Bjorn (Den), Soren Hansen (Den). 07.40 - Ross Fisher, Henrik Stenson (Swe), Luke Donald. 07.50 - Henrik Nystrom (Swe), Anders Hansen (Den), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa). 08.00 - Martin Kaymer (Ger), Lee Westwood, Michael Campbell (Nzl). 08.10 - Jyoti Randhawa (Ind), Marc Warren, Simon Dyson. 08.20 - Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra), Stephen Gallacher, David Griffiths. 11.00 - Mark Foster, David Lynn, Simon Wakefield. 11.10 - Garry Houston, Alexander Noren (Swe), Tom Whitehouse. 11.20 - Phillip Price, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den), Alvaro Quiros (Spa). 11.30 - Robert Jan Derksen (Ned), Stephen Dodd, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa). 11.40 - Lee Slattery, Chapchai Nirat (Tha), Graeme McDowell. 11.50 - Julien Clement (Swi), Daniel Vancsik (Arg), Francesco Molinari (Ita). 12.00 - Alastair Forsyth, Miles Tunnicliff, Andrew McLardy (Rsa). 12.10 - Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), Rolf Muntz (Ned), Simon Hurd. 12.20 - Zane Scotland (Brit), Maarten Lafeber (Ned), Christian Cevaer (Fra). 12.30 - Sam Little, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra), Othman Al Mulla (Kaz)
