Stricker, Poulter pull out at New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, April 21 (UPI) -- Two top-ranked players, Steve Stricker and Ian Poulter, said Wednesday they were pulling out of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Poulter, the world No. 6, announced Wednesday morning he wouldn't participate in this weekend's PGA event due to a left-knee injury, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported.

Poulter's withdrawal left Stricker, the world's third-ranked player, as the only top 10 golfer left in the New Orleans field. But later Wednesday he, too, announced he would bypass the event, citing an injured clavicle.

The only remaining Zurich Classic golfers ranked in the top 50 were No. 23 Sergio Garcia and No. 34 K.J. Choi, the newspaper said.