Garcia Won't Play at Avenel

Defending Champ Has Back Injury

An already star-starved Booz Allen Classic field took another hit yesterday when defending champion Sergio Garcia withdrew, citing a back injury.

Officials had banked on the 26-year-old Garcia to be one of the main draws in the tournament, which will start Thursday at the TPC Avenel.

Instead, the No. 9-ranked golfer in the world will miss the event he won last year after firing a 6-under-par 65 to cap a 14-under 270 performance that tied the course record.

"It's unfortunate not to have the defending champion," tournament executive director Bob Jeffrey said. "Obviously, it seems like an issue he needs to take care of."

Chris DiMarco, a member of the 2004 Ryder Cup team, also pulled out yesterday.

Garcia aggravated his back injury while playing at last week's U.S. Open at Winged Foot, where he carded a pair of 8-over 78s and missed the cut.

He first injured his back June 7 during a pro-am event before the Barclays Classic in Harrison, N.Y., where he is a two-time event champion. He played in the Barclays despite the injury but pulled out in the second round.

In a statement, Garcia said he was "truly disappointed" about missing the tournament.

"The pain did not get any better during my two rounds at the U.S. Open, and therefore I feel that I am going to need to go home, take some time off, and get it looked at by a doctor," Garcia said.

Clarke Jones, Garcia's agent, was unavailable for comment.

Last year's tournament, held at Congressional Country Club, was Garcia's only Booz Allen appearance. He took home $900,000 for the victory.

He is ranked 58th on this year's PGA Tour money list, earning $744,223 in 12 events, which includes three top-10 finishes.

Officials had made Garcia the face of this year's tournament, plastering his image on the official program and the event's Web site.

"Any player we picked possibly would not be here," Jeffrey said.

Newly crowned U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy had committed earlier this year to play in the Booz Allen, but backed out about two weeks ago.

"You hope to have your top names, but it's something that's not in our control," Jeffrey said. "We just have to take it as we go."

Booz Allen Notes: Officials filled out the field Saturday by awarding top collegiate golfer Matt Every a sponsor's exemption, allowing him to make his professional debut this week.

"I was pretty excited," Every said. "You don't get too many of these chances. Hopefully, I'll make the most of it."

Every capped his senior season by helping Florida to a second-place finish at the NCAA championships and by becoming the first Gator to win the Ben Hogan Award, given to the nation's top college golfer.

He qualified for the 2005 U.S. Open and finished tied for 28th, the highest finish for an amateur in the field. . . .

A thunderstorm passed over the TPC Avenel late yesterday, cutting short the Stableford Pro-Am.

Most groups managed to finish about 16 holes even though thunder, light rain and overcast skies forced players to wait through an earlier weather delay.

The skies cleared and groups returned to the course at 4:45 p.m. only to be forced off again about an hour later. . . .

Jeff Whitesel earned this year's "Volunteer of the Year" honors, officials announced yesterday.

Whitesel has been volunteering at the tournament since it moved to the region in 1980, spending most of those years on the transportation committee, where he oversees a fleet of 200 courtesy cars and 70 volunteers.