Stricker withdraws from Open
American Steve Stricker will not take part in the showpiece event of British golf, sighting personal reasons.
Steve Stricker has withdrawn from the British Open next week at Royal Liverpool, making it the second straight year he has decided not to play as he cuts back his schedule.
Stricker last year began reducing his schedule to spend more time with his family and has been replaced this year by Ryo Ishikawa of Japan.
He thought about playing the Open this year, though it looked unlikely when he added the Greenbrier Classic to his schedule and his wife caddied for him.
Stricker has played in the Open 13 times, finishing in the top 10 only once but making the cut every year since 2000.
Ishikawa won in Japan last week for his first victory since November 2012 which moved him to a number 76 world ranking and enabled him to be the first alternate.
Ross Fisher of England is next on the reserve list.