Three PGA Tour stars including major champion forced out of $20m Truist Championship
PGA Tour stars Justin Rose, Sahith Theegala and Michael Kim have all WD from the $20m Truist Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club.
Justin Rose, Sahith Theegala and Michael Kim have all been forced to withdraw from this week's $20m Truist Championship on the PGA Tour due to illness or injury.
Rose, 44, was the first to take to social media to confirm his tough decision to withdraw from the PGA Tour's sixth of eight Signature Events.
The Englishman carded rounds of 70 and 77 and then bowed out of the no-cut limited-field event ahead of the weekend.
Rose admitted to "becoming progressively ill over the past few days" and so chose to WD ahead of Saturday's third round.
Friday's second round was played in cold and wet conditions in Pennsylvania.
The tournament was moved to Philadelphia Cricket Club this week as a result of its normal venue, Quail Hollow Club, hosting next week's PGA Championship.
Rose wants to get himself better for that.
Rose is seeking a second career major title having won the U.S. Open at Merion in 2013.
The 11-time PGA Tour winner came closest to winning the PGA Championship with a T3 in 2012.
Rose was of course narrowly defeated to a first Masters title last April by Rory McIlroy, who became the sixth player in the history of the men's game to complete the career grand slam.
It marked an agonising third runner-up for Rose at The Masters.
Rose tweeted after his WD from the Truist:
"After becoming progressively ill over the past few days, I have made the unfortunate decision to withdraw from the @TruistChamp I am not in a state to complete, and it’s best for me to focus on a quick recovery prior to next week.
"Thanks to all the fans in Philly for the love this week. It’s a special place to me and I’m sorry it wasn’t a better week!"
Rose was joined in bowing out of the tournament by American duo and one-time PGA Tour winners Sahith Theegala and Michael Kim.
Kim, 31, withdrew ahead of the third round due to a back injury, while Theegala, 27, pulled out after the third round due to a neck injury.
Theegala had started well enough with rounds of 69 and 71 but he had a Saturday to forget as a result of his neck pain en route to a 78.
Kim had shot a pair of 72s before sitting out the weekend.
"Back wasn’t great to start the week and aggravated it during the last two days… will get treatment and look to get back as soon as possible," tweeted Kim, who is arguably the new KIng of Golf Twitter.
Theegala and Rose are both in next week's PGA Championship field, but Kim has not made it.
Jason Day was also forced to withdraw from the Truist Championship prior to the start of the tournament due to a neck injury.
Day is now looking to get himself fully match fit for a pursuit at winning the PGA Championship next week for the second time in his career.
The former World No.1 won his sole career major title to date at the 2015 PGA.
Billy Horschel was also forced out of the Truist Championship earlier this week after revealing he has had to undergo hip surgery.
The surgery will mean Horschel is out of all the remaining majors this season.
He is unlikely going to return to the PGA Tour until later this summer or the fall.
At the top of the board at the Truist Championship it's Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka who lead the way on 14-under par with 18 holes to play at Philly Cricket Club.
Lowry and Straka know each other well having played together at the 2023 Ryder Cup.
They hold a three-shot lead over Justin Thomas and Keith Mitchell, with Hideki Matsuyama making up the top five a further shot behind.
Defending champion McIlroy is six back in T6.
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