Paul Casey officially withdrew from the PGA Championship on Tuesday due to toe and knee injuries.
The injuries, he said, were apparently aggravated after he switched to a new pair of golf shoes. Sam Stevens replaced Casey in the field.
Casey was one of 18 LIV Golf members set to compete at the second major championship of the year this week. Martin Kaymer withdrew Friday due to an injury, too.
Casey told the Golf Channel that he has been trying out a new pair of shoes lately, which apparently led to the resurgence of his toe and knee injuries. He spent most of the day Tuesday getting treatment. It’s unclear how long he’ll be out or if he can play in next week’s LIV Golf event in Washington, DC
Casey, 45, won three times on the PGA Tour, most recently at the 2019 Valspar Championship. The Englishman won 15 times on the DP World Tour, too, most recently at the Dubai Desert Classic in 2021. He earned a special exemption into the PGA Championship this week.
“I feel awful that I get an invitation and then can’t play,” Casey told the Golf Channel. “I talked to [PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh] about it. He was great.”