Jon Rahm tests positive for COVID-19 again, withdraws from Tokyo Olympics
Jon Rahm withdrew from the Olympics on Sunday after he tested positive for COVID-19, Spain’s Olympic committee announced.
This marks the second time the world’s top-ranked golfer has tested positive for the coronavirus in as many months.
Rahm will not be replaced by Spain as the golf competition is due to start Thursday. Adri Arnaus will now represent Spain alone.
Rahm had to take three coronavirus tests before arriving in Japan, which the committee said was mandatory for golfers who had been in the United Kingdom. Rahm last competed at the British Open, and finished in a tie for third at Royal St. George's.
The final test, Spain said, came back positive.
Rahm tested positive at the Memorial Tournament
This is now Rahm’s second encounter with the coronavirus in the past two months.
Rahm was forced to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament in June after the third round with a six-shot lead after he tested positive. The 26-year-old later revealed that he was partially vaccinated when he was pulled off the course at Muirfield Village that day, but that he was still inside the required 14-day window.
“To be honest, [getting vaccinated] wasn’t in my mind,” he said in June. “I’m not going to lie, I was trying to just get ready for a golf tournament. If I had done it a few days earlier, probably we wouldn’t be having these conversations right now.”
Rahm then returned weeks later and won the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines to claim his first major championship.
The Barrika, Spain, native has 12 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season, including at all five major championships (counting the rescheduled Masters in November and the one played in April), and at the Players Championship.
Rahm joins Bryson DeChambeau in Olympics WD
Rahm is the second top golfer who was forced to pull out of the Olympics due to the coronavirus this weekend.
Bryson DeChambeau tested positive Saturday, and did not travel with Team USA to Japan. He was replaced by Patrick Reed, who will fill out the four-man team of Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele.
“I am deeply disappointed not to be able to compete in the Olympics for Team USA,” DeChambeau said in a statement, via the PGA Tour. “Representing my country means the world to me and it was a tremendous honor to make this team. I wish Team USA the best of luck next week in Tokyo. I will now focus on getting healthy, and I look forward to returning to competition once I am cleared to do so.”
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