Inbee Park: Women's British Open champion ruled out of title defence

Inbee Park won last year's British Women's Open at Turnberry

Last year's British Women's Open winner Inbee Park has been ruled out of this year's tournament at Woburn with a thumb injury.

The world number two has not played since missing the cut in the defence of her Women's PGA Championship in June.

The seven-time major-winning South Korean, 28, will now concentrate on getting fit for the Rio Olympics.

"This has been an incredibly hard decision to make and the reason I've left it to the last minute," she said.

"Winning the British Open last year at Turnberry meant so much to me in more ways than you could imagine.

"Since the PGA I've been resting and rehabilitating my left thumb in the hope that I would be right to defend my title next week but it just needs a little bit more time."

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