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Westwood pulls out of Wachovia with virus

28/04/2008

Lee Westwood has confirmed his withdrawal from the Wachovia Championship due to a virus.

With the Players Championship just one week away, the decision will come as a real blow for the 35-year-old, who will also miss the opportunity to improve on his previous best score at the North Carolina event, joint 61st place.

Westwood currently tops the Ryder Cup rankings, though he is eager to get back into the world's top-ten, having finished in 11th place at The Masters recently, his most recent competitive outing due to his illness.

At the same time, heavy storms over in North Carolina forced the first day of the Wachovia Championship to be closed, with officials at the Quail Hole County Club in the city of Charlotte making the call after just the first hole.

Lee Paterson, spokesman for the event, stated: "The bottom line is everyone's safety, and that's more important than golf any day for us."

Meanwhile, it has been also been announced that Phil Harison, who spent the last 60 years working as the starter on the first Tee of The Masters has died at the age of 82.

Mr Harison was one of just two people to have been to every event since it began back in 1934.