Stallings withdraws from Humana Challenge with rib injury

Scott Stallings will have to put his hopes for a second PGA Tour win on hold after withdrawing from this week’s Humana Challenge with sore intercostal muscles. Quitting a tournament for health reasons was a new and unpleasant occurrence for the New England native, who announced his status on Twitter.

"First ever WD from an event," @stallingsgolf tweeted Friday after posting an opening-round 2-over 74 at La Quinta Country Club the day before. "Intercostal injury=no fun hope to be back soon"

Scott Stallings withdraws from the Humana Challenge with injured intercostal muscles (Photo: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

The intercostals, which are several groups of muscles between and surrounding the ribs, help people breath by alternately lifting and compressing the rib cage. Injuries to the muscles are reportedly not uncommon among golfers and basketball and tennis players and can be difficult to shake, as Paul Casey can attest. The 34-year-old Englishman noted last October that his swing was just getting back to normal after he ripped an intercostal muscle in 2009.

"I don't think I've ever fully got my ball striking back to where I wanted it after the 2009 season where I tore my intercostal," Casey told reporters during the PGA Tour’s Frys.com Open. "I really don't think my ball striking has been back to where it was in early 2009. It's starting to show signs of getting back there." (Casey was on his way back from the rib affliction and turf toe when his comeback hit a speed bump at the start of this year because he dislocated his right shoulder in a snowboarding accident in Colorado.)

As for Stallings, the 26-year-old winner of last year’s Greensbrier Classic noted in a follow-up tweet that he had hurt some intercostal muscles on his right side on Wednesday. The tour sophomore did not offer a timetable for his return.