Tour Winners Withdraw From BMW PGA Championship
Dan Brown and RC Ritchie were listed as retirements and withdrawals following the opening round at Wentworth
The BMW PGA Championship lost two players on Thursday as both Dan Brown and JC Ritchie withdrew on day one at Wentworth.
Brown was making his first start since withdrawing from the British Masters last month, where he was suffering with wrist pain.
The Englishman, who has been playing his rookie season on the PGA Tour this year, had planned to get an injection and play the Irish Open but decided to take the week off.
Ahead of the tournament, the two-time DP World Tour winner admitted on social media to being "very unsure" of what the BMW PGA Championship would bring after "very limited practice" and his tournament ultimately lasted just 15 holes.
Brown was 10-over-par at that point after three bogeys, two doubles and a triple, and he was officially listed as a retirement.
Brown finished T18th at The Open to end a run of four consecutive missed cuts
The wrist injury is a blow to his hopes of keeping PGA Tour status, with the 2025 BMW International Open winner currently sat 142nd in the FedExCup rankings.
Only the top 100 at the conclusion of the eight-event FedExCup Fall will retain full status, with the top 125 earning conditional membership. The next event takes place in two weeks' time due to the upcoming Presidents Cup, so hopefully Brown's wrist will have enough time to recover.
Another prolific tour winner also withdrew on Thursday, with 11-time Sunshine Tour winner and seven-time HotelPlanner Tour winner JC Ritchie pulling out with injury.
The South African, who won the HotelPlanner Tour's Road to Mallorca rankings last season, was playing in his fourth consecutive tournament and revealed he had injured his back prior to the opening round.
He wrote on social media: "A very sad way to end my stretch! My game felt really good all week but I hurt my back warming up for round 1 of the @bmwpga and unfortunately had to withdraw. I'll be back for @dunhilllinks."
He carded a five-over-par 77 before withdrawing.
