Paul Lawrie fears he will almost certainly need a wildcard pick to make the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles as injury has further curtailed his season.
The 45-year-old, aiming for his third European team selection, will see a gap between tournaments stretch to 15 weeks due to a trapped nerve in his neck requiring him to down tools for another fortnight at least.
The neck problem has been troubling him since the Dubai Desert Classic in January, but was only diagnosed after he aggravated it during a corporate trip to Houston last week.
It means that due to various injury issues Lawrie will have played just four events in six months by his next definite tournament date, the Spanish Open in mid-May.
“It’s a trapped nerve like Tiger Woods had in his back but it doesn’t need surgery like him, just two to three weeks’ rest with no swinging above the shoulder,” said the Aberdonian, after watching his younger son Michael win his first round match at the Scottish Boys Championship at West Kilbride in Ayrshire.
“I went to Houston for five days to do some corporate stuff and it turned out to be a bad move because I played three days in a row, and made it worse.
“I went to my osteopath, who told me it would be OK with just rest. The index finger of my left hand is numb and I have pins and needles in the next three which apparently comes from the trapped nerve, so I couldn’t play now even if I wanted to.
“I’ve been pretty lucky with injuries down the years, but it’s part of the job. It just means that I’m probably going to miss China and will be able to play only the Spanish Open before the BMW PGA at Wentworth.”
It also means he fears he won’t have a chance of making up ground in the Ryder Cup points race.
“I’m not saying I can’t qualify, if I knocked off a couple of big tournaments I could still make it, but, realistically, I’m looking at a pick,” he said.
“Last time I had a good year and finished up around third in the points table, but to do it in just three months is a lot to ask.
“I need to give Paul (McGinley) a headache, but at the moment I just need to let him see me.
“I’m nowhere near the radar, which is fair enough because I haven’t played well enough or even played, really.”
In the meantime he’ll be watching his friend Stephen Gallacher in the Masters field this weekend, believing that his fellow Scot “will love it”.
“I think I’m the only pal Stevie has he hasn’t taken to Augusta, by the sounds of things,” he joked. “I think we all realise that it’s tough for first timers because the course changes so dramatically from practice to play on Thursday, literally overnight.
“The first year I played I had a practice round every day and got to the first hole on Thursday and putted off the green, uphill. I couldn’t believe it, but they get the heat lamps out on Wednesday night and it changes completely.”
“But Stevie’s doing brilliant. He was beautiful to watch winning in Dubai, he’s always had the talent and now he’s found something with the putter, he’s in contention all the time because he’s such a good ball-striker.”