(LONDON) — Zach Johnson, the 2015 Open Championship winner, will miss this week’s Open Championship after testing positive for COVID-19.
Johnson announced the news on Twitter.
— Zach Johnson (@ZachJohnsonPGA) July 12, 2021
According to ESPN, Johnson a given rapid-test following the final round of the John Deere Classic on Sunday, before a chartered flight with other players, caddies, and managers to Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, England. Everyone was tested before the flight.
Johnson’s test came back positive, and he withdrew from the tournament before the flight.
If Johnson had been on the flight, close contact rules in the United Kingdom would have mandated any players on the flight to be subject to removal from the tournament, according to ESPN.
There were 16 players from the John Deere Classic on the charter flight, according to ESPN.
Sam Horsfield will replace Johnson in the field.
The first round gets underway on Thursday.
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