Casey gives way to teenage talent

Paul Casey has been forced to withdraw from the US Open through injury, with 14-year-old Andy Zhang taking his place in San Francisco.

Having hoped he was over the shoulder dislocation he suffered snowboarding on Christmas Eve, England's former world number three is not yet fit for the rigours of a major.

That led to a call for China-born, Florida-based prodigy Zhang - the youngest player in the tournament since the second world war - who narrowly missed out on qualifying in a play-off.

"You're always disappointed to miss time due to injury, but it's especially true when you have to withdraw from the US Open," said Casey.

"I've been trying to play my way back and I feel like I probably came back too soon originally.

"It's affecting my ability right now to be ready for the test of a major. I do feel like I'm very nearly ready, but not quite ready for this week."

Casey missed the first two months of the season, but after four missed cuts in a row on his return - including The Masters at Augusta - things were looking up when he finished 25th in Korea in late April.

But the 34-year-old then had to withdraw after nine holes of the Players Championship in Florida, pulled out of the Volvo World Match Play in Spain and shot rounds of 78 and 76 to miss yet another cut in the BMW PGA Championship three weeks ago. That remains his last competitive action.

"I so want to play and it's so frustrating," Casey said at Wentworth. "I've got to get my brain to trust that I can't hurt it any more. It's amazing how the brain controls the body almost involuntarily."

Chang was joined in the main draw by fellow amateur Jordan Spieth, a member of last year's American Walker Cup side in Aberdeen. The Texan takes the place of compatriot Brandt Snedeker, out because of a rib injury.