(Reuters) – Wrist injuries are taking a toll on some of the world’s best golfers, with German Martin Kaymer the latest to announce he will be taking an enforced break.
Two-times major winner Kaymer joins reigning U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka and Japanese world number six Hideki Matsuyama on the sidelines.
All three are in a race against time to return to competition and form for the year’s first major, the U.S. Masters in early April.
“The next time I’ll be back on the golf course? I don’t know yet, but hopefully sooner rather than later,” Kaymer said in a video posted on Twitter on Friday.
“I’ve been in Munich, seen the doctor. He told me that one bone was misplaced in my right wrist and that caused malfunction in the wrist, and that also caused irritation and inflammation.
“So I got some injections… that will speed up the recovery hopefully a little bit.”
Koepka has not played since early January, due to a partially torn tendon in his left wrist. He said he expected to be out for about 10 weeks.
Matsuyama, meanwhile, has been off the course since withdrawing from the Phoenix Open four weeks ago due to a left wrist injury.
He hopes to return to competition in two weeks at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by John O’Brien)
