Thomas Bjorn quit the British Masters after three holes of his second round today because of a shin splint problem that has been bothering him for three weeks.
After bogeying the second and third holes to drop back to level par the Ryder Cup player decided to come in rather than risk further aggravating the injury two weeks before the US Open.
"That's the priority," he said. "I've been getting a lot of treatment on it and I now want to give it some rest before I fly to America."
He is entered for next week's Buick Classic in Westchester, but will obviously have to make a decision on that if his condition does not improve as quickly as he hopes.
Ian Poulter, meanwhile, surged to the early second-round after a five-under-par 67. The new leader has been suffering some indifferent form after a heady two seasons in which he first became rookie of the year (in 2000) and then came within one spot of an automatic Ryder Cup place.
But his sudden swing back to form with the putter has left the 26-year-old dreaming again of playing in the world's top tournaments and improving his current 117th ranking on the European money list.
"I want to play with the best players all the time and that brings out the best in my game," said the Englishman.
"I would like to be contending in majors and, by the end of the year, be in the top 15 on the order of merit."
Holding second place early on was another Englishman, long-serving tour man Phil Golding who finished third on last year's Challenge Tour.
The 39-year-old, who has made 15 visits to tour qualifying, having never been able to retain a card, shot a 67 and is now in a good position to improve on his career-best finish of joint-sixth at the 1996 Austrian Open.
Soren Hansen holds third place, a further stroke back. The 28-year-old Dane is looking for a unique double after his namesake Anders won last week's Volvo PGA Championship.
Darren Clarke is the best placed Irishman in the field, currently on two-under with two holes to play with Padraig Harrington and Des Smyth a shot further back.
Paul McGinley, on level par, looks to have just made the cut, projected at 1 over while Eamonn Darcy (+3 after 10) will have to work hard on the final eight holes. Michael Hoey, who carded a nightmare 78 to finish on eight-over, is definitely heading home.