Defending champ Casey withdraws from Houston Open

HUMBLE, TX Casey said Thursday morning that his shoulder feels "pinched" and is restricting his backswing. He says the injury is unrelated to the rib injury that limited him to two European Tour events over the last six months of 2009.

The 32-year-old Englishman is hoping the latest injury is "just a one-week thing" and won't keep him out of next week's Masters. Casey has four top-10 finishes in four PGA Tour starts this year.

He tied for fourth at the Honda Classic and tied for sixth at Doral.

Casey defeated J.B. Holmes in a playoff in Houston last year, his first and only PGA Tour victory.