The R&A announced on Monday morning that three more players have withdrawn from this week’s 149th British Open at Royal St. George’s Golf Club, including 2015 champion Zach Johnson.
Johnson, who won at St. Andrews six years ago, tested positive for COVID-19, according to the R&A, and will be replaced in the field by England’s Sam Horsfield.
The other two players who will not be playing this week are America’s Ryan Moore and South Africa’s Louis de Jager.
Moore, who has had a back injury throughout much of 2021, played the last three PGA Tour events. He said at last week’s John Deere Classic, where he finished T-2 to earn a spot in the field at the British Open, that in addition to having a sore back, he had a family vacation planned for this week. Moore informed the R&A on Monday that he would not take the special exemption. He is being replaced in the field by Adam Long, who is also from the United States.
Louis de Jager tested positive for COVID-19 and is being replaced by Dylan Frittelli from the United States.
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On Sunday, Bubba Watson withdrew from the 2021 British Open after revealing that while he is fully vaccinated, he had been in close contact with someone who tested positive. Hours before, 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama also withdrew because he continues to test positive for COVID-19 even though he has no symptoms. Matsuyama first tested positive two weeks ago at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.