Back injury keeps Ames out of PGA finale
Last Updated: Monday, October 23, 2006 | 5:01 PM ET
The Canadian Press
A back injury will cause Calgary's Stephen Ames to miss the season-ending Tour Championship, PGA commissioner Tim Finchem said Monday.
Ames, who won the Players Championship by six shots for the biggest victory of his career, was supposed to speak at a charity luncheon Monday to announce the donation of $2.7 million US in proceeds from the PGA Tour's showcase event. Finchem said Ames was home in Calgary having tests on his back.
The $6.5-million Tour Championship, which is scheduled for Nov. 2-5 in Atlanta, is reserved for the top 30 money winners.
A lingering back injury will keep Calgary's Stephen Ames from competing in the PGA's season-ending Tour Championship.
(Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)
The 42-year-old Ames is 18th on the money list with nearly $2.4 million.
Ames will also miss this week's Chrysler Championship.
Ames withdrew from the last two tournaments he played because of the injury. He pulled out of the Canadian Open in Hamilton early in September and the American Express Championship outside London three weeks later.
"It's a frustrating setback," he said before leaving England.
His agent at IMG in Toronto did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. It was not clear whether Ames, who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, would be able to play the World Cup in Barbados with his brother Robert on Dec. 7-10.
