Injured Torrence
out of OpenSam
Torrance's miserable year continued today as he was forced to miss his first Open
championship for 27 years. The
45-year-old Scot had to withdraw this morning without hitting a shot due to a
recurrence of the shoulder injury that has plagued him all season. Torrance,
one of only a handful of professionals in this year's tournament who played the
last time Carnoustie hosted the Open in 1975, had not been able to practice all
week and eventually admitted defeat in his injury battle 20 minutes before his
scheduled tee-off time of 8.45am. It
is the first Open the Ryder Cup stalwart has missed since making his debut at
Muirfield in 1972 and almost certainly ends his hopes of qualifying for a ninth
successive cup appearance in Boston in September. Torrance's
withdrawal was at least good news for Merseyside's Neil Price, the 23-year-old
from Leasowe taking Torrance's place as first reserve. Langer
recovered well from his double-bogey seven to pick up a shot at the par-three
eighth, getting him back to one under and a share of the lead. Parnevik,
also on one under, had a lucky escape on the fourth hole when his approach to
the green hit a spectator on the head. Fortunately
the elderly man suffered no real damage and Parnevik gratefully saved par from
off the green. But
McNulty was not so lucky, taking a bogey five at the ninth to reach the turn in
level-par 36.
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