Jon Rahm withdrew yesterday from The Players, considered the fifth Major of the season, due to a stomach virus that prevented him from sleeping on Thursday after finishing the first day with 71 strokes, one under par, with which he kept all his options intact in the Sawgrass TPC of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The Biscayan began to feel bad around two in the morning with gastroenteritis, a severe headache and fever. He couldn’t sleep a wink and woke up exhausted and without energy. Despite everything, he kept the spirit of going out on the field and playing. He even went to the practice range to test himself and give himself a chance. But his body clearly said ‘no’ and 45 minutes before the scheduled time to start from the 1st tee, 6:56 p.m. in Spain, he told those responsible for the PGA Tour that he was leaving the tournament.
The one from Barrika had run out of strength and the route in this beautiful spot near the Atlantic coast is so demanding that trying to conquer its well-protected flags in inferior conditions is unfeasible. If the field is already very complicated for professionals in full physical condition, facing it with Rahm’s symptoms, accompanied by a feverish process, is impossible. It’s a shame because he had recovered the ‘punch’ after the bitter taste that his time at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando left him last week. In fact, his result in the opening round at The Players fell short of the remarkable game he had displayed on its fairways and winding greens.
mood to play
The Biscayan went to the field to try it on, but he hadn’t slept a wink all night and had no strength.
It is not the first time that the number one in the world has to leave a competition due to illness. Two years ago, at the Memorial Tournament, one of the most prestigious events on the North American circuit, he had to leave after showing off on the third day and reaching the lead. Minutes after pocketing the ball on the 18th hole, and while the fans surrendered to the immense talent of the Biscayan, a tournament official told him that he had tested positive for covid and that he had to leave. It was a very tough stick, but shortly after that scene he managed to pull himself together and entered the golf Olympus with his victory at the US Open in Torrey Pines.
provisional classification
1
Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Adam Svensson with -83
Ben Griffin, Min Woo Lee y Collin Morikawa con -63
Taylor Pendrith y Scottie Scheffler con -5
Like the day before, Rahm had Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy as party partners yesterday, his two main rivals in the battle for planetary reign. With Barrika’s out of the Florida appointment, that fight is reduced to two; virtually only one, since the Northern Irishman was more out of the tournament than in it when bad weather forced the suspension of the second round: the cut was provisionally at +1 and McIlroy added +6 with eight holes to go.
Scottie Scheffler, on the other hand, has number 1 within reach. Also with eight holes to go to finish the round, his card was -5, just three strokes from the lead, provisionally shared by the South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout and the Canadian Adam Svensson . Scheffler would do well with finishing in the top five tomorrow to reclaim the world title.
Calendar
His next commitment is the match-play world championship in Texas from the 23rd
The calendar does not let up and Rahm’s next commitment is just around the corner, the match-play world championship starting on the 23rd in Austin. Shortly after, at Easter, it will be the turn of Augusta, the first ‘Major’ of the year.