Brooks Koepka withdraws from the Presidential Cup team

Brooks Koepka & # 39; s knee injury is bad enough that he withdrew from the Presidents Cup on Wednesday three weeks before the start.

Koepka, the number 1 player in the world who led all qualifying matches for the American team, said the injury he suffered on October 18 during the CJ Cup in South Korea was not cured well enough to 12- December 15-15 to complete at Royal Melbourne in Australia.

Captain Tiger Woods from the United States replaced him with Rickie Fowler.

"I consider it a great honor to be part of the 2019 team and I regret that I have not been able to compete," Koepka said in a statement. "Since my injury in Korea, I have been in constant contact with Tiger and assured him that I was doing everything I could to be 100% on time for the Presidential Cup in Australia. However, I need more time to heal.

Koepka came from a season in which he won three times, including a second consecutive P.G.A. Championship and finished in second place in the Masters and United States Open. When he started the new season in Las Vegas in October, he revealed that the day after the Tour Championship he had had the treatment of stem cells on his left patella because his knee had hindered him during the last five months of the season.

Two weeks later he ran down the slope of the tee at the third par-5 hole in the second round of the CJ Cup when his right foot hit a wet piece of concrete and he landed hard on his left knee for support. He shot 75 and withdrew after the round to Florida for treatment.

Koepka did not speak publicly about the nature of the injury. He was in contact with Woods, who had considered alternative plans.

"Brooks and I have talked, and he is disappointed that he will not be able to compete," Woods said. "I told him he should get well soon, and we are sorry he won't be with us in Australia. He would clearly be a plus, both on the track and in the team room."

Woods , who used one of his four captain attacks after winning in Japan, originally dropped Fowler from the team and said it was the hardest phone call he made when he told potential players that he didn't take them.

Fowler played in the last two Presidents Cup teams and went 2-0-1 in team play with Justin Thomas at Liberty National in 2017.

"When I heard that Brooks was not ready to play, I bumbled for him and the team, "Fowler said." Then I got a call from both Brooks and Tiger. I was humble and excited to get the chance. Tiger is chosen to compete with him and the rest of the team is very special, it is impossible to be number 1 in the world but I can assure my teammates and American golf enthusiasts that I am willing and ready to do my part to take the Presidential Cup home. "