Golf

Paul Azinger withdrew from the 73rd PGA Championship this week at Carmel, Ind., and British Open champion Ian Baker-Finch is questionable.

Azinger, recovering from shoulder surgery, dropped out of the 151-man field Tuesday after a practice session. “There’s no way I can put 18 holes together,” he said. “It just hurts too much.”

Baker-Finch, the British Open champion, is suffering from back spasms.

Jack Nicklaus is a longshot to make the Ryder Cup team, despite his victory in the U.S. Senior Open, team captain Dave Stockton said.

The top 10 finishers on the PGA points list through the PGA Championship qualify for the competition against 12 European golfers Sept. 26-29 at Kiawah Island, S.C.

Stockton, who will select the final two players on the 12-man team, said he is considering Nicklaus, but added that he will wait to see how Nicklaus does in the PGA Championship.

“The PGA Championship is a little bit different than playing against what he did up there,” Stockton said, referring to Nicklaus’ playoff-round 65 at Oakland Hills that won the Senior Open. “Nicklaus is still more of a longshot than some of the younger guys.”

Fred Couples, Payne Stewart, Lanny Wadkins, Hale Irwin, Azinger and Corey Pavin have earned spots on the U.S. team.