Henrik Stenson will miss next week’s DP World Tour Championship in Dubai after an injury ruled him out of the remainder of the European Tour season.
The Swede, a twice winner of the event, suffered a bruised rib during a promotional event at last week’s WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, although he did go on to finish joint runner-up behind Justin Rose.
The problem flared up again at this week’s Turkish Airlines Open, with Stenson coming home tied for 35th. The 2016 British Open champion, 41, is a firm favourite in Dubai having previously lived in the emirate for the best part of a decade.
He won the DP World Tour Championship, the European Tour’s finale, in successive years from 2013. Stenson is not the only high-profile player missing at Jumeirah Golf Estates next week, with two-time champion Rory McIlroy also absent as he recovers fully from injury.
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"I have been feeling it when I swing so it has been rough this week and, while I was not 100 per cent last week, I guess the travel and the way things progressed, it started getting worse rather than better,” said Stenson, who misses the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa, which begins on Thursday.
In contrast, close friend Rose is in rude health, with the Englishman winning in Turkey on Sunday to record back-to-back wins. The 2013 US Open champion eventually prevailed by one shot from Nicolas Colsaerts and Dylan Frittelli.
Rose's 10th European Tour triumph moved him above Sergio Garcia in the Race To Dubai standings into second place behind compatriot Tommy Fleetwood.
Victory lifted Rose to within 134,839 of top spot as he attempts to finish the season as Europe's No 1 for the second time.
