Stenson in doubt for Shanghai Masters

Shanghai: Swede Henrik Stenson is in serious doubt for his return to golf at this week`s BMW Masters in Shanghai.

FedEx Cup champion Stenson arrived in the Chinese business capital sporting blue `spider` tape on a swollen right forearm, revealing he sustained the injury while practicing last week at the Lake Nona course in Orlando, Florida. The current World No. 4, who is commencing a seven-event run to end his season, was to undergo an MRI scan on his forearm at a Shanghai hospital later Tuesday. "I`ve had four weeks off since the Tour Championship but unfortunately I`ve got a bit of a problem with my right wrist and forearm," he said. "I am hoping to get it sorted over the next couple of days but at the moment I`m not in great shape and I`m not certain of playing this week here in Shanghai. "I really don`t know how it happened as I was practicing last week back in Florida but on Wednesday and Thursday I just felt it ache a little bit and it`s just got progressively sore and a little swollen. "Then on the flight over here it felt just worse and worse and I couldn`t hit any golf balls yesterday and instead I had treatment on it, and was advised to have an MRI on it to make sure there is nothing major wrong." After winning both the season-ending Tour Championship and FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour, Stenson has returned to the European Tour season-ending four event Final Series looking to finish the year also as European Tour No. 1 Stenson currently leads the number two Race to Dubai placed Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland by 425,573 euros in this week`s event carrying a first prize cheque of 852,660 euros. "I`m no expert on wrist injuries but this spider-like tape on my arm is supposed to draw some fluids out and help lift the skin and make it easier for treatment," he added. "I`m on pain-killers, anti-inflammatories and I`ve been having regular icing and while it`s quite painful I`m just hoping there is nothing serious. "It`s very worrying especially as this will be the first week of a seven tournament stretch for me, so it`s not the best scenario to be having a wrist problem. "But it is what it is and I will be guided by what the doctors inform me and, as I said, it won`t be nothing too serious. "I`ve had a problem before in my left wrist but this is the first time I`ve developed an injury in my right wrist. "So if it`s not feeling any better I will have to withdraw and hope it`s better for next week`s HSBC Champions here also in Shanghai." And fellow Swede Peter Hanson, who is this week`s defending champion, is also hoping he will not suffer a recurrence of a long nagging back injury that forced him out of the recent Seve Trophy in France.