Caught on the wrong foot

What happened to me last week is a classic example of how tough life is as an athlete and how careful we have to be about the smallest of details.

I know the normal perception is that we sportspersons lead such a wonderfully pampered life. We have managers looking after all our needs, corporates and organisers trying to outdo each others to please us and the travelling across the world. And on top of it, we even get paid for something we just love to do!

But just consider this… I am facing the prospect of yet another injury layoff just because I did not wear the right golf shoes for one tournament.

Here's what happened. I was really looking forward to playing the Frys.com Open this week on the PGA Tour, but unfortunately, I had to pull out of the tournament with an injured right ankle.

It is the same injury that bothered me last year around the PGA Championship. I thought I had gotten over it, but that's apparently not the case. Actually, I made the mistake of wearing the wrong shoes at Justin Timberlake's event last week.

Ankle injury

I get special shoes, which cushion my ankles. However, the one I wore last week were not of the right specifications.

The ankle started feeling funny during Friday's second round, and by the time I started warming up for the third round, I had intense pain.

I was in contention after the second day, so I somehow finished the final two rounds there with the help of painkillers, but after I arrived in Scottsdale for this week's Frys.com Open, I could barely walk.

I have been advised complete rest. The frustrating part is that I am playing really well at the moment and was looking forward to this stretch of tournaments. I am scheduled to play the Volvo World Matchplay in Spain, the HSBC Champions in Shanghai and the Dubai World Championship, which are all big events for me for various reasons.

So, there you have it. You can spend hours on the driving range and gym, you can have your time managed to the minute, but a moment of indescretion, and something even as innocuous as your shoes can knock you out! I want to thank the organisers of Frys.com Open for giving me a sponsor's exemption for the tournament. I will definitely repay their gesture.

Jeev Milkha Singh is a three-time champion on the European Tour.