New York: Five-time PGA Tour winner Nick Watney tested positive Friday for the coronavirus, the first player with a confirmed infection since golf resumed its schedule last week.
Watney immediately withdrew from the RBC Heritage and will now self-isolate for at least 10 days under the PGA Tour's protocols.
He missed the cut last week in the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas. He travelled on his own to South Carolina, and his coronavirus test upon arrival at Harbour Town was negative.
Before arriving to the course for his second round, he reported symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.
Watney was tested again, and the result came back positive.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Vaughn Taylor gave their reactions on Friday to the news that Nick Watney tested positive for Covid-19 at the PGA Tour's RBC Heritage event in South Carolina, USA.
McIlroy spoke with Watney at the putting green before his second round, but the world number one said that they had followed social distancing rules.
Taylor, who had played in the same group as Watney in the first round, said he felt comfortable about the situation.
The tour had no positive tests of the 487 administered at Colonial, and none among the 98 players tested before taking the charter to Hilton Head or the 369 tests for those arriving on their own.
