PALM HARBOR, FL - MARCH 20: Retief Goosen of South Africa hits his drive on the second hole during the third round of the Transitions Championship at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club held on March 20, 2010 in Palm Harbor, Florida. (Photo by Michael Cohen/Getty Images) -

Louis Oosthiuzen will miss at least two months because of a lingering neck, back and hip injury that caused him to withdraw from both summer Opens.

Oosthuizen had already been removed from the field list for this week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, and this news confirms that he will miss next week’s PGA. He hopes to return at the Dunhill Links Championship in late September.

“It’s obviously very disappointing to miss out on playing in such prestigious tournaments,” he said Tuesday in a statement released through his management company, ISM. “But these are injuries that I have been managing for most of the season. It is important that I now give myself the proper time to recover.”

The 2010 British Open champ won the Volvo Golf Champions earlier this season and ascended to No. 4 in the world rankings, but he has since slipped to 12th after recording only two top-10s in his last 14 starts with four missed cuts and three WDs.