IRVING, Texas -- Louis Oosthuizen has withdrawn from the HP Byron Nelson Championship before Sunday's final round because of a neck issue.

The 2010 British Open champion was at 3-under 207 and tied for 32nd place after shooting even-par 70 in the third round.

Oosthuizen entered the HP Byron Nelson with the No. 7 world ranking, the highest-ranked player in the field. He had missed the cut in his only other appearance in this event.

Michael Bradley also withdrew Sunday morning with a back problem. Bradley was 2 under.

Oosthuizen is also set to play in next week's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. Bradley is not on the field list for that invitational tournament.

Since 72 players made the secondary cut after three rounds, Oosthuizen and Bradley will get paid equal to a 71st-place finish at the Nelson. - Associated Press

By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

IRVING, Texas -- Louis Oosthuizen is ranked seventh in the world and would seem to be a player to watch at next month's U.S. Open ... if he were playing.

Unless something drastic changes, don't expect to see the South African at Merion. It's with good reason, though -- his wife Nel-Mare is due to have the couple's third child on that Saturday of the U.S. Open.

"At the moment, the U.S. Open is going to be a miss for me because the baby is due then," Oosthuizen said Tuesday as he prepares for this week's HP Byron Nelson Championship.

There is a chance Oosthuizen may still tee off at Merion "if the baby comes the week before the U.S. Open," he said. "(But) during the U.S. Open, I won't play."

The 2010 British Open champ is making the second of what he expects to be four straight starts on TOUR. He finished tied for 19th at last week's THE PLAYERS Championship and has next week's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial on his schedule, as well as the Memorial tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance the following week.

After that, he'll take a break to spend time with his family.

Although playing four consecutive weeks isn't something a lot of the top pros do, Oosthuizen is enjoying this stretch.

"I feel like you get a bit of a rhythm going," he said.

Rhythm is certainly something Oosthuizen is striving for right now, particularly with his swing. Since starting his PGA TOUR schedule in February after winning a January event on the European Tour, Oosthuizen has just one top-10 in seven starts, missing the cut three times in his six stroke-play events.

Swing problems have caused him to miss more greens in regulation than he would like, although his percentage of 68.52 percent this year is nearly equal to last year's 68.78 percent, which ranked him 15th on TOUR in that category.

Oosthuizen said missing greens has put undue stress on his putter, but he's seeing signs of improvement.

"The last two tournaments I played, I was getting better results," he said. "So hopefully the next three weeks something can happen for me."

By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Four players had threatened THE PLAYERS Championship record for consecutive birdies in the first two rounds, and Louis Oosthuizen finally tied it on Saturday.

Oosthuizen made six straight starting at the ninth hole to become the seventh player to accomplish the feat. The South African joins Tom Watson (1984), Dave Rummells (1986), Fred  Wadsworth (1987), Paul Azinger (1993), Rocco Mediate (1996) and Tim Herron (2005).

Oosthuizen's first birdie came from 3 feet when he got up and down from a greenside bunker at the par-5 ninth. He made a 4-footer at the 10th hole,  chipped to 5 feet from just off the green at the par-5 11th, then rolled in putts of 5, 6 and 56 feet to cap the streak

Oosthuizen, who finished with a 67 and stands 5 under, had an 11-footer at the 15th hole to set the record -- although he didn't realize it at the time.

"I do now, and now that putt is in my head," said Oosthuizen, who made also seven straight at the Deutsche Bank Championshio last year.

Sergio Garcia, Brandt Snedeker, Ryan Palmer and Scott Stallings are the players who made five consecutive birdies. Garcia's came on Friday while the other three made theirs in the first round.

Interestingly, Oosthuizen says he's been battling his putter lately. He had 29 in a first-round 69 and 31 on Friday when he shot 75.

"I'm struggling to find consistency in the putter," the former British Open champ said. "I'm either making them or putting horribly, which is pretty frustrating."

Oosthuizen and his wife Nel-Mare are expecting their third child any minute now. He's scheduled to play the two upcoming events in Texas, as well as the Memorial Tournament.

"Definitely want to play Memorial, but if the little one comes earlier, then I won't, Oosthuizen said.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- A line of thunderstorms spanning as far north as Kentucky and as far south as southern Louisiana is barreling toward Augusta National. The expected arrival time: Approximately 4 p.m. ET.

In the meantime, here's a look at a few afternoon groups to keep an eye on as they'll try to get in as much golf as they can before the heavy stuff hits.

Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, Angel Cabrera, 12:57 p.m.: Scott has fared well here the last couple of years, tying for eighth in 2012 and second in 2011. The latter was Scott's best finish in a major at the time, and he held the lead by himself while playing the 71st hole. Then Charl Schwartzel birdied the last four holes to win by two. Garcia, meanwhile, famously said a year ago here that he doesn't think he will ever win a major. He's softened his stance since, but he has just two career top 10s here, the last of which came in 2004 when he tied for fourth. Cabrera has won a major -- three of them -- including this one in 2009.

Phil Mickelson, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer, 1:30 p.m.: It's not a driver, it's not quite a 3-wood, it's a Phrankenwood. Mickelson never disappoints when he comes here, one way or the other, and this year is no different with a special club in his bag that's part driver, part 3-wood. He's also won here three times before. Oosthuizen lost to Bubba Watson in a playoff here last year, and he comes in off a 10th-place finish in Houston. He's also played well on the European Tour, winning the Volvo Champions in January.

Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Freddie Jacobson, 1:41 p.m.: Bradley has been a popular pick in various Masters pools in the press room and with good reason. Bradley, who two years ago won his first major at the PGA Championship, arrives here off four straight top 10s, including a tie for fourth at PGA National and a tie for third at Bay Hill. McIlroy, on the other hand, has had his ups-and-downs but seems to be trending in the right direction after a 65 at Doral and a runner-up in San Antonio.

MARANA, Ariz. -- Big-hitting American Robert Garrigus, a No. 9 seed, upset Louis Oosthuizen, the top seed in the Hogan bracket, 3 and 2 in the second round.

With the earlier loss of Luke Donald to Scott Piercy, all four No. 1 seeds have now been eliminated. Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods lost in the first round.

Garrigus said he never felt like an underdog to Oosthuizen, despite the seeding.

"I felt like I was playing better than anybody coming in here, so whatever seed it was didn't matter," Garrigus said.

Garrigus indeed has been putting well this week, having needed just 47 puttsin the first two rounds. On Friday, he had eight birdies on his round, with four birdies putts coming between 7 and 11 feet. He now has 14 birdies through the first two rounds.

"I looked at all the guys in my bracket and I was like, 'I can beat him, I can beat him and I can beat him,' " Garrigus said. "If I'm putting well, I'm going to be hard to beat."

Garrigus won the first two hole but the match was all square through eight, as Oosthuizen played a bogey-free 2 under for the first eight holes.

But from there, Garrigus was a bogey-free 4 under in the final eight holes and Oosthuizen could not keep pace.

SCORECARD STATS: Garrigus carded eight birdies and two bogeys. Oosthuizen carded four birdies and one bogey.

HOLES WON: Garrigus won five holes. Oosthuizen won two holes.

NEXT OPPONENT: Garrigus plays Fredrik Jacobson in the third round of the Hogan bracket.

MARANA, Ariz. -- It's been a week of firsts for Louis Oosthuizen, who is top-seeded in the Ben Hogan bracket.

He had never seen snow before 4 inches fell on Dove Mountain on Wednesday and halted play. And Oosthuizen was the first of the No. 1 seeds to advance on Thursday, beating Richie Ramsay 2 and 1.

Oosthuizen actually had to come from behind on the back nine to earn the victory. Ramsay was 1 up at the turn and 2 up after his opponent missed a 7-footer to save par at the 11th hole.

But Oosthuizen won the next four holes with two birdies and a par to go 2 up. He halved the 16th with a bogey -- actually missing a 6-footer for par there that would have won the match -- and the 17th with a par to seal the victory.

"Just couldn't really get going, couldn't make putts for birdies, and then had a good run from 12 to 15, taking four in a row," Oosthuizen said. "I had a little putt on 16 to win. But yeah, all in all, very happy. A bit shaky start, but I felt like I kept it together at the end."

Oosthuizen faces the big-hitting Robert Garrigus in the second round. And as for the snow?

"It was really good fun -- especially at the hotel, it was a beautiful setting last night," Oosthuizen said.

To preview the 2013 PGA TOUR season, PGATOUR.COM is counting down the Top 100 Players to Watch in 2013. For an archive page with the top 100 players and for an explanation on how the list was compiled, click here.

MORE TOP 100: Back to No. 23 | Forward to No. 21 | Top 100 archive

2013 PREVIEW: Louis Oosthuizen's sophomore season on the PGA TOUR showed great progress. Included among his five top-10s were two seconds and a third, and he ended up seventh in the FedExCup after missing out on the Playoffs as a rookie. He finished sixth or better in his final four events in Europe, too, which should send the South African into 2013 with great confidence.

2012 DEFINING MOMENT: The shot of the year would have been the 4-iron Oosthuizen holed for double eagle at No. 2 at Augusta National on Sunday -- that is, had it not been for the 7-iron Bubba Watson curved out of the trees on the second hole of their playoff later that day. Watson denied Oosthuizen his second major but the South African rebounded with a victory in Malaysia the following week. –- Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM

ALBERS’ QUICK TAKE: I think he has the best swing on TOUR. He generates so much power for a man that is not physically imposing. Every time I watch Louie play, I always wonder why he doesn't win more often. While leading the Deutsche Bank Championship he said he felt bad for Rory McIlroy, who was struggling to make birdies in the third round. McIlroy ended up winning the tournament and Oosthuizen was gracious in defeat. I wonder if Louie's weakness is being too nice a person. -- Fred Albers, SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio

BOLTON’S FANTASY OUTLOOK: Rookie eligibility is criticized on the PGA TOUR, but despite his global experience and success, he was not immune to the pitfalls of first-time membership in 2011, thus debunking purists' theories. Lo and behold, with that season under his belt and a better plan of attack, he stuck with a predominantly U.S.-based schedule this year and crushed it to the tune of $3.46 million, second-highest among non-winners. He just turned 30, so settle in for another season. The South African has found a groove. -- Rob Bolton, PGATOUR.COM Fantasy expert

2012 QUICK REVIEW

Regular Season ranking 34th

Final Playoffs ranking 7th

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN

What is your prediction for Louis Oosthuizen in 2013? Fill out the form below and let us know

Chambers/Getty Images

Louis Oosthuizen is the highest-ranked Ping staffer in the FedExCup Playoffs, at No. 6.

By John Schwarb, PGATOUR.COM

On the eve of the FedExCup Playoffs finale, 10 percent of the 30-man field re-signed multi-year equipment contracts with Ping.

Louis Oosthuizen, Lee Westwood and Bubba Watson – Nos. 6, 8 and 11 in the standings coming into the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola – all have been longtime Ping staffers and will stay that way, the company announced Wednesday.

Westwood, 39, has played Ping clubs for 27 years, while Watson has played the company’s clubs since he was a teenager. Oosthuizen made arguably the shot of the year by holing out an S56 4-iron from 255 yards out on the second hole at Augusta National on Sunday -- the fourth double eagle in Masters history.

Ever wonder what is demanded within a full-line equipment contract? In a release, Ping said that the three stars will wear the company’s name on hats and bags and play a minimum of 11 Ping clubs, including a company driver and putter.

DIVINE NINE: Do you have any clubs in your bag that are 9 years old, or older? Golf.com discovered that Phil Mickelson used a 9-year-old Titleist 980F 5-wood at the BMW Championship, replacing his Callaway Razr Fit 5-wood. When Mickelson first used that club, he was still a Titleist staff player. He moved to Callaway in 2004 and has mostly played that company’s clubs ever since, but with Phil being Phil, you never know what will resurface in the bag.

Halleran/Getty Images

Dustin Johnson has three finishes in the top 6 so far in the Playoffs.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

Top 30 previews | FedExCup scenarios | Playoffs guidebook

For those in the top 5 of the FedExCup standings heading into this week’s TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, the formula is simple: Win, and you win the FedExCup, too. Everyone else, meanwhile, needs help.

With that in mind, here’s a look at five players who I think could come from outside the top 5 and win the FedExCup:

Louis Oosthuizen (No. 6): There are a couple of reasons to like Oosthuizen’s chances. First, he doesn’t need a lot of help to win the FedExCup by virtue of being No. 6 in the standings. With an extra week off he should also be fully recovered from a minor pectoral injury he played through at the BMW Championship. Oosthuizen plays big in big spots (see his 2010 British Open victory, this year’s Masters, the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational) and has been in a groove in the Playoffs with a couple of top-5 finishes, including a runner-up in Boston.

Dustin Johnson (No. 7): Three Playoffs tournaments, three finishes in the top 6. You could argue that no one outside of Rory McIlroy has been as consistent as Johnson in the postseason. If there’s a concern, it’s that Johnson has never fared particularly well at East Lake, failing to finish in the top 20 in three trips. I think this year will be different, though. Johnson’s length is of course a huge asset, but his iron play has been very good in his last three starts with Johnson ranking in the top 10 in greens hit.

Jason Dufner (No. 10): The Duf has cooled a bit since a midseason run that included two wins and two other top-5 finishes in five starts, but a return to Atlanta should spark the 35-year-old. Dufner has a history of playing well in the South -- one of his two victories this year came in New Orleans, and he lost a playoff at the 2011 PGA Championship at nearby Atlanta Athletic Club. He doesn’t have a great track record at East Lake, having tied for 13th last year and 19th in 2009 in his only two appearances, but he loves Bermudagrass, is one of the best drivers of the ball on TOUR and is one of its best ball-strikers. He’s also having the best putting year of his career.

Bubba Watson (No. 11): Another player who doesn’t have a great record in this event, Watson makes up for that by the fact that he’s having a career year. He won another pretty significant tournament in the state of Georgia in April and has five other top 10s, including a pair of runner-up finishes, to go with his Green Jacket. Watson has been good -- not great -- in the Playoffs so far with three finishes in the top 12. As far as Watson hits it -- he leads the TOUR in driving distance -- he’s also third in greens in regulation. If he can straighten out his putter, Watson should be a factor at East Lake.

Carl Pettersson (No. 17): The length at East Lake, which he is playing for the first time, shouldn’t affect Pettersson, who ranks in the top 40 on TOUR in driving distance. Like Dufner, he, too, is a guy who tends to play well this side of the Mason-Dixon Line (see: his win at Hilton Head and tie for third at the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island). It’s also been a big year for those who wield a long putter. It’s certainly a longshot at 17th in the standings but as we saw with Bill Haas, who was 25th going into East Lake, it’s certainly a possibility.