Scottie Scheffler has withdrawn from this week’s U.S. Open after testing positive for COVID-19, the United States Golf Association (USGA) said on Sunday.
The 24-year-old American, who is a contender for PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, finished fourth at last month’s PGA Championship and fifth two weeks ago at the Tour Championship.
The world number 29 shot a sizzling 59 en route to a fourth-place finish in the FedExCup playoffs opener at TPC Boston.
“We are sorry to lose a member of the USGA family in this year’s field,” said the USGA senior managing director John Bodenhamer. “We look forward to welcoming him back to the U.S. Open for many years to come.”
Scheffler will be replaced in the field by South African Branden Grace.
Djokovic says doing best to control on-court emotions after U.S. Open default
Meanwhile, World number one Novak Djokovic says that he cannot guarantee he will not make a similar mistake to his disqualification at the U.S. Open for striking a line judge with a ball but that he would try his best.
The Serb was disqualified in the fourth round in New York after he hit a ball in frustration after dropping serve in the first set against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta, hitting the line judge in her throat and causing her to fall to the floor.
Djokovic said that he called on the lineswoman to check on her health since the incident at Flushing Meadows.
“It’s not completely out of the blue,” Djokovic told a news conference at the Italian Open.
“I cannot promise or cannot guarantee that I will never ever do anything similar to that in my life. I’m going to try my best, obviously, but anything is possible in life.”
Following the incident, the tournament organisers confirmed Djokovic was fined $250,000 — his prize money for reaching round four. The 33-year-old was also fined an additional $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct.
“The rules are clear. I accepted it and had to move on. That’s what I did,” Djokovic added.
