Andres Romero withdraws from Barracuda Championship

Andres Romero sustained what could be a very costly hand injury in an act of petulance during the third round of the Barracuda Championship.

The Argentinian player withdrew from the PGA Tour event in Reno, Nevada, after completing his round in bizarre fashion.

Romero punched a sign after hitting his drive at the 15th hole and was treated for an injury before continuing his round in the modified stableford event by putting the ball off the tee and then giving up.

He accepted the worst possible score on that hole - minus-three points for a double bogey or worse - and then tapped the ball off the tee with his putter at his remaining three holes to lose a further nine points, dropping to 11 points after being bang in contention for victory.

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Romero reportedly sustained a broken finger, leading to severe discomfort when trying to grip a club, and the injury could prove pivotal for the remainder of his season.

Before this week's events, Romero was sitting in 155th in the FedEx Cup standings with the play-offs only a couple of weeks away. Only the top 125 players qualify for the opening event - The Barclays, which starts on August 27.