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A seriously worried Stephen Gallacher has became another doubtful starter for next week's US PGA championship.

The 30-year-old Scot today followed in the footsteps of Colin Montgomerie and David Howell when he dropped out of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles with a back injury.

Gallacher, third in Germany two weeks ago, quit after nine holes of his second round with a recurrence of the back trouble which has plagued his career.

"In hindsight maybe I should have missed this week, but because it's a home event I decided to play," said the 30-year-old, who was 10 over par when he decided not to continue.

Now the nephew of former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher will undergo intensive treatment in a bid to be fit for the start of the final major of the season next Thursday.

His withdrawal came as Montgomerie saw a hand specialist in London after hurting three fingers in yesterday's first round and Howell continued to battle the torn abdominal muscle he suffered at the US Open in June.

Gallacher has long-term concerns as well as the immediate worry of whether he will recover in time for Baltusrol.

"I'll be doing everything I can to play, but I need to get to the bottom of this," he said. "I want to be playing when I'm 50 and 60. I don't want to be doing a desk job when I'm 35.

"Two joints are really inflamed and it affects the nerves in my lower back. It feels brilliant after I see my chiropractor, but then it becomes sore all the time - standing, walking, sitting."

An eight-hour flight on Monday is not an appealing prospect the way he feels.

Gallacher missed the whole of the 1998 season with the problem. "I went three months without picking up a club. It's the worst time of your life and I don't want that again.

"I played only one practice round for the Open last month and in Germany didn't hit a ball until the Friday."

The first day's play was washed out there, but it meant Gallacher then had to play twice in one day and he finished it feeling "knackered".

He added: "I've been seeing the chiropractor more than my wife, but I really need to build my back up.

"It's the nature of the game. The back's meant to turn and tilt one at a time. We turn in a tilted position."

Gallacher recently spoke with former Scotland footballer John Collins, who told him his condition had improved with losing some weight and building up stomach muscles.

Meanwhile, Frenchman Gregory Bourdy took over at the top of the leaderboard, covering the back nine in a superb 32 to stand six over.

Bourdy was one ahead of overnight leader Mark Foster and two in front of Welshman Bradley Dredge.