Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley was bitterly disappointed today when a neck spasm forced him out of the Daily Telegraph Damovo British Masters at the Forest of Arden.
Going well at two under par - it left him joint 24th overnight - McGinley parred the first five holes of his second round, but after driving off the next tee decided there was just no point continuing.
"I can't hit it more than 200 yards. There's no way I can carry on like that," said the Dubliner.
"I did all my warming up exercises this morning and then spent the best part of an hour on the practice range with no problems at all.
"But then I went to the putting green and started feeling a twinge. It just got worse and worse."
European tour physiotherapist Guy Delacave came out on the course to see if he could be of assistance, but McGinley had virtually locked up by that stage and they decided it was best to withdraw.
Peter Lawrie is still the leading Irishman on three under after an opening 69, The Dubliner is due to set off on his second round after lunch (13.55), whereas Darren Clarke completed a second consecutive 71 to be two under at the halfway stage.
Clarke, the pre-tournament favourite who has won twice at this venue (2000 and 2002), never set the place alight at any stage and a bogey at the last compounded another frustrating day.
Englishman Greg Owen and Germany's Marcel Siem took control at the top of the leaderboard on eight under. Australian overnight leader Peter Fowler was a late starter and immediately dropped back to six under with a bogey after just two holes.
Colin Montgomerie's plight didn't get any better ahead of next week's US Open. The burly Scot will miss the cut having finished four over, but the small news of consolation is that he will avoid a fine for clashing with a photographer yesterday.
Monty's short tempered fuse was tested to the full after running up a double-bogey at the seventh. he then proceeded to rant at the photographer, brandished a club and shouted: "I said no pictures and I mean no pictures."