Westwood withdraws, will miss PGA Champ.

AKRON, Ohio -- Lee Westwood, the No. 3-ranked player in the world, has withdrawn from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and from the year's final major, next week's PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Westwood, who was paired with Tiger Woods for the first two rounds in Akron, was seven over par at Firestone CC's South Course before he pulled out with an injury to his right calf. Westwood has been battling the injury since before the Open Championship at St. Andrews. First feared to be a possible blood clot, it was diagnosed as a torn plantaris muscle. The injury causes Westwood's ankle to swell and prevents him from pushing off on the downswing.

The prescribed treatment for the injury is rest. "Sit on my backside for six weeks like they keep telling me," replied Westwood when asked what he was going to do. "It's the only way to improve it."

In a released statement he said, "I'll be out for as long as it takes to get better. I am hoping that it will be in time for me to play in the Ryder Cup."

Heading into the Open Championship at St. Andrews, Westwood seemed to be improving, but no longer. "It just seems to be getting worse," he said. "There's no strength in it. I don't have a deal of confidence in it and then, on the way down, I'm finding it hard to hold my weight on it and then push off."

-- Jim Moriarty