Valspar Championship loses two golfers to positive COVID-19 tests
Two golfers withdrew from the Valspar Championship on Monday after testing positive for COVID-19.
The PGA Tour announced that Will Gordon and Brice Garnett both tested positive. Gordon is being replaced in the field by J.J. Spaun, while Tim Wilkinson gets Garnett’s spot.
It’s been several days of comings and goings for the event at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort, home of the Snake Pit, a brutal three-hole finishing stretch.
Earlier on Monday, Cameron Champ and Steve Stricker withdrew. Sebastian Cappelen gets Champ’s spot, while Ryan Brehm will replace Stricker.
Brehm was earlier bumped out of the field by Peter Uihlein, who, based on his third-place finish at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, earned a spot in Tampa. Uihlein is still fresh off his win in the Korn Ferry Tour event in Las Vegas eight days ago.
According to @RobBoltonGolf, Brehm can’t be bounced again, so he’s in locked in the field.
Also, three days ago, the tournament got word that Phil Mickelson will play at Innisbrook for the first time in 17 years.
LET'S GOOO! @PhilMickelson has just committed to the 2021 #ValsparChampionship. He’s back for the first time since 2004.
Limited tickets. Unlimited Star Power! pic.twitter.com/fzkFexrXIC
— Valspar Championship (@ValsparChamp) April 23, 2021
Paul Casey is the two-time defending champion and he’s back looking for a three-peat. The PGA Tour says that since World War II, only 10 golfers have won an event three times in a row.
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson and No. 2 Justin Thomas are also in the field.
The tournament was canceled in 2020 due to COVID precautions. Tournament organizers will allow fans in at 20 percent of normal capacity.
