David Drysdale doesn't have 'luxury' of break in DP World Tour survival bid

David Drysdale has been troubled by a niggling injury as he fights to hang on to his DP World Tour card. Picture: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

Due to a niggling neck and shoulder injury, the 47-year-old was forced to retire after just one round in the recent Alfred Dunhill Links Championship then managed just 24 holes in last week’s Andalucia Masters.

He’s clearly needing a break but, sitting 178th in the rankings and running out of time to climb into the top 117, that’s not an option right now.

“I’ve had a bad shoulder and neck for five months,” said Drysdale, speaking after he’d signed for a two-under-par 70 in the opening round of the Mallorca Open at Son Muntaner Golf Club in Palma.

“It’s fine now, I can’t even feel it, but I’ve got two bulging discs in my lower neck that have been going into my shoulder. It just flares up every now and again when I wake up in the morning, really. Hopefully it will be all right for the remainder of the year.”

Drysdale has held a main-tour card for 18 consecutive seasons, but, having also had Covid this year, it’s been a real struggle for him. “I don’t have the luxury of taking a break because I have played so poor this year and there’s no medical exemption I can get,” he added.

“Right now it is looking like Q School, so I’ve not got an awful lot of time off at the moment. But, whatever happens, I’ll probably take December off and give it some decent rest and some physio.”

On a day when England’s Marcus Armitage set the pace with an eight-under 63, Connor Syme and Marc Warren both signed for 67s while Richie Ramsay is also handily-placed following a 68.

“It was good,” said Syme of his day’s work. “A little bit scrappy towards the end, unfortunately, but, overall, a decent start.”

Warren, who was also pleased with his effort, said of the test: “If you’re hitting fairways it is straightforward but, if you're not, it can ugly pretty quick.”