Verplank and Glover back after long injuries, Goydos out for months

Scott Verplank and Lucas Glover played a practice round together Tuesday at the Transitions Championship at Innisbrook, which was only unusual considering where they have been -- on the disabled list.

They return about the time Paul Goydos goes on the DL for what could be three months or more.

Verplank has not played since he withdrew after a 78 in the first round of the Deutsche Bank Championship because the tendon kept slipping out of place in his left wrist. He had surgery two weeks later for a tendon reconstruction, in which tissue was folded over the tendon to help keep it stable.

"I’m pretty sure I’m going to be OK,” Verplank said. “It’s not 100 percent yet. I’m still a little bit leery of hitting irons off marginal lies, when you know you have to take a divot and go get it. A lot of the deal is getting over it in your head.”

Verplank had hoped to return at Phoenix or Riviera, but wasn’t ready. His motivation to return was for the Masters -- he is eligible from his tie for fourth in the PGA Championship.

That speaks to what kind of year it was. Verplank said he had weeks when the tendon slipped out of place and make it difficult to hang onto the club. Other weeks, it was fine.

As for the PGA Championship?

“The best it was all year,” he said. “And two weeks later, I couldn’t even play.”

Glover sprained knee ligaments and a tendon the weekend before the PGA Tour season opener at Kapalua when he landed awkwardly after falling from a paddle board.

Glover didn’t realize the severity of the injury until each week rolled around and he wasn’t fit to play. He finally decided to abandon the West Coast swing and prepare for Florida. He felt strong enough to play two weeks ago, but wanted to get into golf shape -- walking golf courses on a tender knee.

“The knee is 100 percent,” Glover said. “I’m in good gym shape, but need to make sure I’m in good golf shape to be able to walk four days in a row. That’s the plan for this week.”

He said he would skip Bay Hill, then play Houston in his final tune up before the Masters.

Goydos, 47, had surgery Tuesday to remove a bone spur in his left wrist, which had been bothering him for longer than he cares to remember. He said removing the bone spur was the first step in trying to get his wrist healthy.

“At my age and considering what we do for a living, he’s a little concerned about some cartilage damage,” Goydos said.

Goydos said the pain in his wrist kept getting worse from the opening tournament in Hawaii, and he thought it might be arthritis. When he saw a hand specialist, he saw the X-ray of the bone spur.

“The bone spur doesn’t hurt, but it’s rubbing up against the tendon,” Goydos said.

He said doctors told him he would be out six weeks, but with proper rehabilitation, Goydos said it would be 10 to 15 weeks.

“There’s no reason for me to play unless I’m fit enough to play,” he said.