John Daly Withdraws From PGA Championship Fearing COVID-19 Exposure
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF/AP) -- PGA Tour veteran John Daly posted on social media Monday that he was not willing to risk his health to compete in this week's PGA Championship while San Francisco was in the midst of a surge in COVID-19 cases.
In announcing his withdraw from the event, Daly posted: "People keep asking why I WD from PGA??? California now #1 in cases/deaths, I had knee surgery, I'm a diabetic & I don't feel comfortable flying. Being too close proximity to even small crowds & risk exposure with my health not worth it! God Bess & y'all be safe!"
Daly was the surprise winner of the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick, a win that help elevate him at the time to golf's elite player status.
Vijay Singh, a two-time PGA champion at Sahalee in 1998 and Whistling Straits in 2004, also announced Monday because of an injury.
So far 12 players either exempt or offered invitations who have chosen not to play. That makes five major champions who have withdrawn - Daly, Singh, Padraig Harrington, Y.E. Yang and Francesco Molinari.
The PGA Championship will be held without spectators for the first time because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the first major of the year, to be followed by the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in September and the Masters in November, two weeks before Thanksgiving.
The PGA Championship has the strongest field of the four majors as it tries to get the top 100 in the world. It will have no more than 93 of the top 100 going into the week.
