Suzann Pettersen of Norway, No. 2 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, withdrew from the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic, the LPGA Tour opener which starts on Thursday, because of what apparently is a minor shoulder injury.
Pettersen told GolfChannel.com in an email that she is bothered by shoulder soreness and wants to give it another two weeks of rest before she opens her season in the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open on Feb. 13-16 at the Victoria Club in Victoria, Australia.
“Once I start, I play four weeks straight,” Pettersen wrote in the email.
Top-seeded Inbee Park of South Korea also is not playing this week in the Bahamas, leaving No. 3 Stacy Lewis, No. 4 Lydia Ko of New Zealand, No. 7 Na Yeon Choi of South Korea and No. 9 Lexi Thompson as the highest-ranked players in the field.
