Inbee Park Withdraws Again

Inbee Park's left thumb hasn't improved. She struggled to a +12 round Thursday at the LPGA Volvik Championship, then withdrew.



She told GC that she didn't want to withdraw halfway through the round like she did at Kingsmill last week, so she toughed it out. But if you saw the TV coverage, it was obvious that she was just going through the motions as she reached the end of her day. She wasn't doing her normal routines; she was just stepping up and striking (or putting) the ball then moving on to the next shot.

It was easy to see why. She had trouble making the change of direction at the top of her swing, and she was hitting weak shots to the right because she couldn't square the clubface. Both problems were due to the pain in her left thumb, which was already wrapped pretty heavily.

She's skipping next week's event and will try to defend her title at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. That appearance, combined with the round she finished Thursday, will be enough to meet her qualifications for the LPGA Hall of Fame.

According to the statement she released a couple days ago, she'll be seeking more medical attention after the KPMG. And she told GC that the KPMG could be "it" -- presumably, she meant the end of her season. Since she's qualified for both the International Crown and the Olympics, that would be a major development.

At this point, all we can do is wish Inbee well. She's been struggling with this injury since late last year, and it's turned into a most untimely problem.