DANIEL Brooks has been forced to pull out of the Indian Open due to injury.

Brooks suffered a finger problem after getting his hand caught in netting next to a kids’ slide at Festival Leisure Park last month.

And the lay-off has affected Brooks’ form on the PGA European Tour.

The Basildon-born professional golfer retired after just two holes at the NBO Oman Open, while he then failed to make the cut at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters a week later.

And Brooks withdrew from the Tshwane Open last time out - after finishing the first round five over par.

The 31-year-old will now take time off and allow his injured fingers to heal before returning to action.

Brooks said: “I’ve had to pull out of the Indian Open this week and I’m going to take a few weeks off.

“I’m not scheduled to be in another event for four weeks, so hopefully it will have healed by then. If it hasn’t, I might need to get something done to it.

“I had to withdraw from the Tshwane Open because I was in too much pain.

“I keep trying to play with the injury and I practised the day before the Tshwane Open got underway.

“It was swollen then but I was coping with it and wanted to play.

“But I then woke up the next day, on the morning of the first round, and my injured fingers were really stiff and painful.

“I need to have a rest now and it’s for the best.”

Brooks has now competed in eight events on the European Tour this season.

However, Brooks has only completed all four rounds of a course once.

Having tied for 30th place at the Joburg Open in December, Brooks was also able to claim his only prize winnings so far this campaign.

But injury has hampered Brooks’ progress.

And Brooks admits that he has been frustrated with the lay-offs.

“Not much has happened since the start of the season yet,” added Brooks.

“I haven’t played pain-free for a few months now and that has been frustrating.

“I’m looking forward to getting back on the course pain-free again.”

While the Indian Open gets underway today, Brooks’ withdrawal means that south Essex will not be represented in New Delhi as Thorpe Hall Golf Club members Matt Southgate and Richard McEvoy will also not be involved.