Summary:
Announcing the withdrawal of Steve Stricker from the Open Championship, the BBC's golf correspondent explains why he has opted not to compete at Hoylake.

Full article:
By . Mike Dawes . World No 19 Steve Stricker has withdrawn from next week's Open Championship and been replaced in the field at Hoylake by first reserve Ryo Ishikawa. Stricker has played a much reduced schedule in recent seasons and also opted not to compete at Muirfield last year, choosing to celebrate his 20th wedding anniversary instead. Speaking during last month's US Open, Stricker said he was undecided about making the trip to England. Not attending: Steve Stricker has withdrawn from next week's Open Championship in Hoylake . 'Ask me . tomorrow, I could be going, ask me another day, I could be going home,' he said. 'I'm leaning toward not going. I'm thinking about throwing in . Greenbrier and then the John Deere (Classic). It's a long trip and I'm . not too fired up about it. But then I look at it, and it's a major. And I . should be going there.' England's Ross Fisher is now first reserve ahead of Canada's David Hearn. First reserve: Ryo Ishikawa, pictured with the Sega Sammy Cup on Sunday, has replaced Stricker .