Rahm’s summer has been an absolute rollercoaster.
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TOKYO — Less than six hours after it was announced Bryson DeChambeau would not compete in the Olympics due to a positive Covid test, the same fate has found Jon Rahm, the No. 1 player in the world.
Rahm’s positive test came during the final testing period before this week’s men’s competition, and is less than two months removed from his infamous positive test at the Memorial Tournament. Rahm held a 6-shot lead through three rounds of the event but was forced to withdraw after a positive test. That was June 5th.
While Rahm’s testing on the PGA Tour during that June incident went through multiple rounds of certifying the results, little information was shared about this most recent positive. Rahm said he had received one does of a vaccine in early June, adding further confusion to his positive test this weekend. At the time of the announcement, it was unclear who would now join the other 59 players in the field in Tokyo.
Bryson DeChambeau tests positive for Covid-19, won’t play in Olympics
Adri Arnaus is the other Spanish representative in the men’s competition, and was out at Kasumigaseki Country Club Sunday afternoon. He will now be the only male Spanish competitor as the Spanish Olympic Committee said there was not enough time to get a player to Tokyo to compete given the health protocols.
With the field capped at two players per country — for all countries other than the United States, which has four players ranked in the top 15 — the next potential replacement is Shunyat Hak from Hong Kong, followed by Mike Hendry from New Zealand. In order to play, they will first need a nomination by their National Olympic Committee.
The testing process that has now led to an exodus for two top 10 players is thorough. In order to gain entry to Japan, all stakeholders must certify two tests inside 96 hours of their departing flight, with the most recent test taking place inside of 72 hours. Another test is required upon arrival in Japan and, for athletes, daily tests for their remaining time in the country.
What is most clear is that the Olympic field strength will take a significant hit. DeChambeau’s positive test allowed room for Patrick Reed to play, a substitution that wouldn’t greatly impact the field strength with Reed ranked 13th in the world. Both Hak and Hendry, on the other hand, are ranked outside the top 360.
This post will be updated when more information on the replacement is made available.
