• WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship

Stricker may miss WGC with brother needing transplant

Steve Stricker's brother Scott has been in intensive care for three weeks © Getty Images

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Steve Stricker's participation in next week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is in jeopardy due to a serious family medical situation.

Stricker said his 50-year-old brother, Scott, is in need of a liver transplant in Wisconsin and has been in intensive care at UW Hospital in Madison for three weeks.

"He's walking a tightrope is what they're telling me," Stricker told The Associated Press on Tuesday after his daily visit to the hospital. "He needs a liver. He's holding his own, but this can't last forever. Hopefully, we get one soon."

He said the family thought his brother had a liver donor over the weekend, but the timing didn't work out.

Stricker said his brother caddied for him when he qualified for the Canadian Tour in 1989, and soon after had colitis that turned into Crohn's disease. Scott Stricker had emergency surgery last Thursday, and Stricker said he has been stable since then.

"My plans next week are up in the air," Steve Stricker told the Golf Channel. "I haven't pulled out, but it's not looking so good."

Stricker won the Match Play in 2001 in Australia, and he reached the quarter-finals a year ago. He has not officially withdrawn - players have until Friday to commit - but said it was not looking good for him to play.

"I was going to leave today to go to Phoenix for a few days, but that's not going to happen," he told The Associated Press. "It's going to be a long shot if I come and play. I'm practicing every day, but in the back of my mind, I feel like I'm not going to be there - unless something happens rather quickly, and they say it can. But if one comes available, I wanted to be around for the surgery."

Stricker, 46, is ranked 12th in the world and hasn't played since the World Challenge in early December. After this week's Northern Trust Open, he will be the last player among the top 50 in the world who has yet to make a start in 2014.

Stricker last year reduced his schedule and played just 13 events. If he does miss the Match Play, he would join No.1 Tiger Woods, No.2 Adam Scott and No.4 Phil Mickelson who are also skipping. The tournament is for the top 64 in the world rankings and will go down the list to fill out the field.

This article originally appeared on ESPN.com

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