Paul Casey has been told it could take a full year for him to recover totally from his torn rib muscle.
Ryder Cup star still waiting to recapture full fitness
Paul Casey has been told it could take a full year for him to recover fully from the torn rib muscle he suffered last summer.
But, like Rory McIlroy with his sore back, Casey is not going into the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona fearing injury could force him to withdraw.
"It gets very fatigued and I feel it late at night, but it's not hindering me on the course," said last year's runner-up, who plays Canadian Stephen Ames in the first round.
"I'm not holding back on shots and I'm not feeling any pain when I hit the ball, but it's still not 100 per cent. That could take a very long time."
The second half of last season was a virtual write-off for England's world number seven - a huge disappointment after he had won in the Middle East, America and Britain and gone to third in the rankings.
Accenture Match Play tee times
Tee-off times in the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship at Dove Mountain in Tucson, Arizona on Wednesday (seeded positions in brackets, all times GMT):
1436 (12) Robert Allenby (Aus) v (53) Peter Hanson (Swe)
1445 (21) Luke Donald (Gbr) v (44) Graeme McDowell (Gbr)
1455 (11) Kenny Perry (USA) v (54) Brian Gay (USA)
1504 (22) Zach Johnson (USA) v (43) Francesco Molinari (Ita)
1514 (9) Ian Poulter (Gbr) v (56) Justin Leonard (USA)
1523 (24) Angel Cabrera (Arg) v (41) Adam Scott (Aus)
1533 (10) Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) v (55) Alexander Noren (Swe)
1542 (23) Camilo Villegas (Col) v (42) Dustin Johnson (USA)
1552 (5) Rory McIlroy (Gbr) v (60) Kevin Na (USA)
1601 (28) Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) v (37) Oliver Wilson (Gbr)
1611 (6) Paul Casey (Gbr) v (59) Stephen Ames (Can)
1620 (27) Alvaro Quiros (Spa) v (38) Mike Weir (Can)
1630 (8) Padraig Harrington (Ire) v (57) Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind)
1639 (25) Anthony Kim (USA) v (40) Matt Kuchar (USA)
1649 (7) Henrik Stenson (Swe) v (58) Ben Crane (USA)
1658 (26) YE Yang (Kor) v (39) Soren Kjeldsen (Den)
1708 (13) Sergio Garcia (Spa) v (52) David Toms (USA)
1717 (20) Lucas Glover (USA) v (45) Anders Hansen (Den)
1727 (14) Sean O'Hair (USA) v (51) Simon Dyson (Gbr)
1736 (19) Stewart Cink (USA) v (46) Edoardo Molinari (Ita)
1746 (16) Robert Karlsson (Swe) v (49) Rory Sabbatini (Rsa)
1755 (17) Ross Fisher (Gbr) v (48) Thongchai Jaidee (Thai)
1805 (15) Ernie Els (Rsa) v (50) Ryan Moore (USA)
1814 (18) Retief Goosen (Rsa) v (47) Soren Hansen (Den)
1824 (4) Martin Kaymer (Ger) v (61) Chad Campbell (USA)
1833 (29) Vijay Singh (Fij) v (36) Tim Clark (Rsa)
1843 (3) Jim Furyk (USA) v (62) Scott Verplank (USA)
1852 (30) Hunter Mahan (USA) v (35) Charl Schwartzel (Rsa)
1902 (1) Steve Stricker (USA) v (64) Ross McGowan (Gbr)
1911 (32) Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn) v (33) Michael Sim (Aus)
1921 (2) Lee Westwood (Gbr) v (63) Chris Wood (Gbr)
1930 (31) Nick Watney (USA) v (34) Yuta Ikeda (Jpn
