Tiger's pain is joy for amateur

Major agony: Tiger Woods will sit out next week's US Open
Marco Giacomelli13 April 2012

Michael Whitehead will make his debut in a professional golf tournament at the US Open next week after knee and Achilles problems forced Tiger Woods to pull out.

On Sunday the amateur just failed to qualify for the Major and was due to go to the Congressional Country Club in Maryland as a reserve in case anyone dropped out.

But Whitehead will take his place in the 156-man
field after Woods withdrew last night because he has not yet recovered from the injuries he suffered at The Masters in April.

"It's kind of surreal," said the 23-year-old. "I got a phone call from the United States Golf Association asking if I wanted to play in the US Open because a spot had come open. It took me probably half a second to say yes. Then I started to figure out the process of how to get there. It still hasn't hit me yet and it probably won't until I get there. So, 'Thanks, Tiger.' I guess I'm glad he was listening to his doctors."

Until now the biggest tournament Whitehead has played in was last year's US Amateur Championship at Chambers Bay, although he failed to make the cut.

Whitehead almost reached the US Open without Woods's help. In Dallas, he made it through to a play-off with a pair of Tour players, Harrison Frazar and Greg Chalmers, for the final two spots from that regional qualifier.

The American suffered a bogey on the first hole and was eliminated but, crucially, was named first replacement for the tournament.

"It didn't feel very good on Sunday," he said. "To have come so far and almost have it, and then not have a very good hole. Praise God it turned out the way it did."

Woods has played in every US Open since 1994 but that run has been ended by the injury he picked up playing the 17th during the third round at Augusta. The former world No1 hopes to be fit for The Open, which starts at Royal St George's on July 14.

He said: "It's been a frustrating and difficult year but I'm committed to my long-term health."

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