Sergio Garcia has another nagging injury, and the timing could not be worse. He has an infected nail in the middle finger of his left hand, which affects how strongly he grips the club.
"It's going to be uncomfortable," said Garcia, who wore a small bandage over the finger.
It's the same injury Garcia dealt with last May when he had to withdraw from a British Open qualifier because of an infected nail. It was a low point for Garcia, until he narrowly got into the U.S. Open, then the British Open, and slowly worked his way back into the top 25 in the world ranking.
What that does for his chances at the Masters remains a mystery.
He is getting treatment, though his practice round on Wednesday did not leave him very optimistic.
"It felt worse today than it did yesterday, but hopefully it will be better tomorrow," he said. "I can play. I won't quit. Even if it's painful, this is a tournament that should be played."