It’s not been the start to his PGA Tour career that Marco Penge dreamed of at the start of this season.
He didn’t live up to the hype he generated on the DP World Tour after struggling to start the season. But the reason for that quickly became clear midway through the year.
Penge announced that after dealing with an ear infection in November last year, he’s been dealing with issues with his ear, neck, and nervous system all throughout this year.
The Englishman has taken some time away from the sport to fully address these health issues. This decision came shortly after he missed the cut at the PGA Championship.
He has therefore withdrawn from the upcoming US Open at Shinnecock Hills, and a devastated Penge released a statement on social media explaining his decision.
Marco Penge’s statement after withdrawing from the US Open
Penge missed out on his first opportunity to play in the US Open and was devastated about it. He took to social media to explain how “gutted” he was while making this decision.
He said, “Unfortunately, myself and my team have decided that I am going to have to WD from the @usopengolf championship which I’m gutted about.
“My health is the no.1 priority for now, and until I get to the bottom of the issues, I won’t be competing. The plan is to return fully fit.
“I have had numerous scans and seen several specialists and we are getting close to resolving the issue that I’ve been struggling with for 8 months. I appreciate the continued support as always and I’ll be back soon!”
It’s great to hear that Penge’s team are close to finding a solution to his issue. He’s one of the most exciting players coming up on the tour, and it would be a crying shame if his career was taken from him because of injuries.
Is Marco Penge in danger of losing his PGA Tour card?
Penge only just earned his PGA Tour card by finishing in the top 10 on the DP World Tour last year, but are these injury issues leaving him in danger of losing it immediately? That depends on how quickly he can resolve these injury issues.
Currently, his performances early in the season have left him in a solid position to retain his card. He was T4 at the Valspar Championship and T16 at the Genesis Invitational, which saw him rise in the rankings.
He’s currently 91st in the FedEx Cup standings, leaving him on the outside of the race for the playoffs, but within the top 100 needed to retain his PGA Tour card for next season.
However, if he doesn’t return to action soon, he risks falling outside the top 100, which would cost him his card. Then, he would rely on receiving an injury exemption from the PGA Tour for 2027.
If the tour deems Penge’s injury to be the reason he lost his card, which, if he doesn’t return soon, they likely would, then he’d be able to play again next year. But he’ll want to earn his card on the golf course with a return to action.
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