Inbee Park done for 2016 as thumb injury heals

We won’t see Inbee Park in the final two events of the LPGA schedule, as the Olympic gold medalist continues to recover from a nagging left thumb injury.

According to Golf Channel, Park won’t defend her title next week at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational and won’t play in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Florida.

The good news is that the Park’s long-injured left thumb is now out of a protective cast, and she’s able to start practicing in anticipation of a 2017 return.

“Her recovery is on the right track, and she is improving,” Park’s agent, Matt Kim, said to Golf Channel. “Inbee is trying her best to be back on the golf course as soon as possible.”

Park hasn’t competed since winning gold in Rio in somewhat of a shocker considering the pain from the thumb injury had sidelined her for most of the season. However, she played through the ligament damage and the pain to secure an emotional win in the Olympics. After the Olympics, Park decided against surgery, choosing the protective cast with the hope of improving her condition.

Kim said Park intends to play a “full season” in 2017, and that may well put to bed any whispers that the South Korean seven-time major winner intends to retire in the immediate future.

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.