Viktor Hovland was forced to withdraw from his fourballs match at the Ryder Cup with a neck injury.
The Norwegian star had been due to partner Matt Fitzpatrick against Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay in the last contest of the day at Bethpage Black in New York.
But the 28-year-old pulled out not long before the players were due on the tee. He was replaced by Tyrrell Hatton.
A statement released by the Ryder Cup said: ‘Due to a neck injury Viktor Hovland is unable to play Match #4 of this afternoon’s Four-Ball Matches.
‘Tyrrell Hatton will be substituted for Viktor Hovland in Match #4.
‘Per item 3.c) in the Captains Agreement: For Foursome and Four-Ball: It is agreed that in the event of illness, injury or other emergency reason to a player selected to play in a match, he may be substituted by another member of the team previously not selected, prior to the commencement of this match.’
Viktor Hovland has withdrawn from his fourballs match at the Ryder Cup with a neck injury
Hovland was seen in discussions with European captain Luke Donald after the foursomes
The popular Norwegian was replaced at the last moment by the in-form Tyrrell Hatton
Hovland earlier earned a point for the European team as he partnered Robert MacIntrye to victory over Russell Henley and Scottie Scheffler in the final foursomes match of the morning session.
The win for the European side stretched their lead to 8.5-3.5 going into the fourballs.
NBC reported Hovland had been struggling in his foursomes game and that the European team had been monitoring the injury. Hatton was also told to be prepared to step in, according to the broadcaster.
It has been suggested Hovland, who has previously suffered with neck problems, will be fit to play in tomorrow’s singles.
Hovland had wildly celebrated his putt on the 17th – which kept them in the lead going into the 18th – and was seen in conversation with captain Luke Donald after they sealed their win.
There are claims the popular Norwegian suffered the injury in celebrating but he was also forced to withdraw from the Travelers Championship in June with a neck problem.
Speaking back then after his withdrawal, Hovland said: ‘I was just going to hit a little bit last couple drivers before I was going to go to the first tee, and hit one shot and then felt a little bit in my neck, but it didn’t, it felt fine, didn’t feel hardly anything at all, just felt like something was maybe brewing.
‘Then the next shot that I hit with a driver it just felt like, yeah, it just cracked. I don’t know exactly what happened, but there’s something that happened and just couldn’t move.’
Englishman Hatton has been in superb form at this year’s Ryder Cup and he continued his impressive showing alongside Jon Rahm when the duo beat Xander Schauffele and Cantlay 3&2 in Saturday morning’s foursomes.
