David Toms has withdrawn from the British Open next week at Royal St. George's because of a hip injury.
Toms, 44, played only three holes Thursday at the John Deere Classic — all pars — before pulling out of the tournament and notifying the Royal & Ancient that he could not play the British Open.
He will be replaced at Royal St. George's by Simon Dyson of England. Thomas Bjorn, who took three shots from a bunker on the 16th hole at Royal St. George's in 2003 that cost him the claret jug, is the next available alternate.
Toms, who won the Colonial in May a week after losing to K.J. Choi in a playoff at The Players Championship, and is seventh in the FedEx standings and fifth on the money list, said Wednesday that he was dealing with a bad hip and that it was hard work just to walk around the TPC John Deere.
Also withdrawing from the John Deere Classic on Thursday was Robert Garrigus. He left the course because of a back problem after playing eight holes.
Garrigus was added to the British Open field this week when Thomas Levet had to pull out because of a broken shin, an injury suffered when he jumped into a lake to celebrate his victory in the French Open last Sunday.
