Nicklaus laments how easy players withdraw

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Rory McIlroy isn’t playing the Memorial to make sure a rib injury is fully healed before the U.S. Open. Justin Rose cited a sore back in pulling out of the tournament where he earned his first PGA Tour victory. Paul Casey was another withdrawal because of a foot injury that has plagued him before.

Jack Nicklaus said McIlroy texted him to explain what was going on.

But a question about McIlroy led Nicklaus to lament how easy it is for players to withdraw from tournaments, especially as he considered his era with Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.

He said he shared his concerns with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.

“You think I had any injuries when I played? Do you think Arnold had any injuries when he played? Do you think Gary had any injuries when he played? How many tournaments do you think that we entered that we withdrew from during the course of our career?” Nicklaus said.

He put his forefinger to his thumb to signal zero.

“Never entered if I wasn’t going to play,” Nicklaus said.

He attributed some of it to money and said he understood withdrawals because “it’s pretty much the norm today.”

“Would they withdraw back 30 years ago? Probably not, because that wasn’t the norm,” Nicklaus said. “We played through it. We had a ton of injuries and I played through it. But that’s sort of the norm today. And the guys ... I made my own decisions. I didn’t have an entourage. I didn’t have a fitness trainer. I didn’t have a nutritionist, whatever you all have, somebody to cut my toenails in the morning. I didn’t have any of that. I did that myself.

“I think that entourage helps make that decision for the player, telling them, ‘We think physically this is probably not right for you to play.’ And that’s what their job is,” Nicklaus said.

He said it was annoying for spectators and tournament officials when someone withdraws. As for McIlroy, Nicklaus said the four-time major champion explained his rib injury and Nicklaus said he could sympathize with that.

“The U.S. Open is a big thing in his career,” he said. “And I sort of thought the Memorial Tournament was, too. And he supported us. He’ll come to play every year he can.” ——— LEFTY’S PLAN: Phil Mickelson usually spends two full days preparing for the U.S. Open before championship week, going to the course ahead of time to chart every shot, especially around the greens. This year, he’s trying a different approach.

He won’t see Erin Hills until Monday of the U.S. Open (provided he doesn’t miss the cut the week before).

“Very likely not,” Mickelson said last week. “I’m taking a whole different approach to Erin Hills, and that is, I’m not going to do anything.”

Rather than overthink his approach, Mickelson said he would rather work on his game and try to be as sharp as possible.

Mickelson, who turns 47 on Friday of the U.S. Open (June 16), will have played three straight weeks ahead of the U.S. Open, which is rare for him. Then again, not spending exhausting practice rounds at Erin Hills will allow him to conserve some energy.

Mickelson is a six-time runner-up at the U.S. Open, which stings even more because it’s the one major that has kept him from the career Grand Slam. He hasn’t won since his British Open title at Muirfield in 2013, though he has finished runner-up in at least one major every year since then.

Even as he played Colonial for the first time since 2010, where he tied for 29th, he was not occupied with Erin Hills.

“That’s a month away. It’s not really on my mind right now,” he said. “I feel like I need to get my game sharp. I’ve been playing what I feel is at a level much higher than the results have been bearing, and I need to start getting the results without forcing the issue. So that’s what is on my mind right now, not a tournament a month from now.” ——— HOLDING A GRUDGE: Dustin Johnson grew up playing junior golf in South Carolina with Kevin Kisner, and they remain close. But there was one moment at a junior event that Johnson apparently had a hard time getting over.

He had a one-shot lead on the final hole, a par 5, and Kisner was in trouble in the trees. Johnson laid up in perfect position.

“I skulled it out of the trees, hit the mound, goes up over the hill, hits the flag doing 100 mph and it goes in,” Kisner said. “He proceeds to three-putt. And DJ has never let me live it down.”