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Justin Rose took golf fans by surprise on Thursday morning when he withdrew from the 150th Open at the last minute.
The former US Open champion was due to tee off at 8:14am with European Ryder Cup team-mates Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari, but did not appear on the first tee at St Andrews.
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Instead, Rikuya Hoshino took his place. Alex Noren had been ahead of him in the reserve pecking order but elected to play the Barracuda Championship, which is running at the same time as the Open, instead.
Rose’s withdrawal was the result of a back injury which caused him to walk off the course during a practice round on Wednesday.
Justin Rose (back injury) has withdrawn from The Open Championship and will be replaced by Rikuya Hoshino. Aaron Rai is now the first alternate.
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) July 14, 2022
He attempted a warm up on the range this morning but to no avail.
“On the fourth hole yesterday during my practice round, I made a swing with my driver and started to feel pain in my lower back,” he wrote on social media. “I’ve been getting around the clock treatment but I just don’t feel ready to compete in this prestigious championship. I’m gutted to be missing the 150th Open.”
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Rose is the second played in the world’s top-50 to miss out on the historic Open.
Daniel Berger, the world No.26, has already been forced to sit it out due to an injury of his own.
With Hoshino taking the place of Rose, England’s Aaron Rai – who travelled to St Andrews from Wolverhampton on Wednesday night – is the next reserve.
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