Westwood hit by blood clot scare

Westwood missed the cut when the Open was last played at St Andrews in 2005

Britain's Lee Westwood has withdrawn from Wednesday's French Open pro-am with a suspected blood clot in his leg.

The world number three, 37, had been troubled by pain and swelling in his calf and ankle for two days and was taken to hospital for tests.

He will decide whether to play in the main event when test results are known.

"He has to take the doctor's decision seriously because it's a very important time of the year with The Open coming up," his manager Stuart Cage said.

Westwood was third in the Open at Turnberry in 2009 and is regarded as one of the favourites to secure his first major title when the Championship begins at St Andrews on 16 July.

He was also third at last year's US PGA Championship and at this year's Masters went one better, finishing second behind Phil Mickelson.

606: DEBATE Discuss Westwood's injury

Westwood then won the St Jude Classic before claiming a share of 16th place in the US Open at Pebble Beach.

Explaining the background to the injury scare Cage added: "Lee felt pain in the calf and it was swollen on Tuesday. But when he woke this morning his ankle was swollen too so he decided to have it checked out in the physio's truck.

"The French doctor there thought it could be a blood clot and said Lee should got hospital for tests so he pulled out of the pro-am."

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