Ten players have withdrawn from the LPGA Tour’s Meijer LPGA Classic, including seven who cited illness. This is the second time this season that a significant number of players have withdrawn from an LPGA event due to illness, following the cancellation of the Honda LPGA Thailand in February.
Zhang Withdraws from LPGA Event Due to Illness
The CJ Cup at Nine Bridges in Jeju Island, South Korea, was set to see a field of 78 players, but 10 have withdrawn, seven due to illness, forcing the tournament to start with just 68 players.
On Monday, world No. 1 Jin Young Ko withdrew after testing positive for COVID-19, and on Tuesday, No. 15-ranked In Gee Chun followed suit, also because of a positive test. Another three Koreans joined them on Tuesday: No. 29 Sei Young Kim, No. 31 So Yeon Ryu and No. 61 Amy Yang.
Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark, who had been battling a cold all week, also withdrew on Tuesday. The final two players to withdraw were Americans Cheyenne Knight and Elizabeth Szokol.
The withdrawals have left the field depleted, but there are still plenty of big names in the mix. World No. 2 Lydia Ko of New Zealand, No. 3 Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand and No. 4 Brooke Henderson of Canada are all scheduled to play.
The tournament will start on Thursday and will be played over 72 holes. The winner will receive $300,000 from a total purse of $2 million.
Zhang Withdraws from LPGA Event Due to Illness“>
PGA Tour Standout Im Withdraws from CJ Cup Due to Illness
Adding to the 10 withdrawals from the LPGA Tour this event, PGA Tour standout Sungjae Im has also withdrawn from the CJ Cup at Byron Nelson due to an unspecified illness. This is the second time Im has missed a cut this season, following the Sony Open in January.
Currently ranked 18th in the world, Im was a notable absence from the field at TPC Craig Ranch this week. The 24-year-old South Korean has been one of the most consistent performers on the PGA Tour in recent years, winning two events and finishing in the top 10 in over a quarter of his starts.
Despite missing the cut at the Sony Open, Im bounced back to finish tied for 28th at last week’s AT&T Byron Nelson, where he battled through back issues. However, the illness has forced him to withdraw from this week’s event.
“We are disappointed that Sungjae Im will not be able to compete in the CJ Cup at Byron Nelson,” said tournament director Clay Greenfield. “He is a great champion and a fan favorite, and we wish him a speedy recovery.”
Im’s withdrawal is a blow to the CJ Cup field, which already includes several notable absentees. However, the tournament remains one of the strongest events on the PGA Tour schedule and is sure to provide plenty of excitement over the next four days.
10 Withdraw from LPGA Tour Event, 7 with Illness
In a concerning trend, 10 players have withdrawn from the ongoing LPGA event, with a staggering seven citing illness as the reason. This outbreak of illnesses has raised concerns among organizers and participants alike, underscoring the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic.
Notable among those withdrawing is Chinese star Yu Liu, who was positioned near the top of the leaderboard before being forced to step away due to an undisclosed ailment. Joining Liu on the sidelines are seven other players, including LPGA veteran Lizette Salas and rising star Lilia Vu.
While the nature of the illnesses remains unknown, it is speculated that a respiratory virus may be responsible for the outbreak. The LPGA Tour has implemented strict health and safety protocols to mitigate the spread of illness, including mandatory testing for all players upon arrival at the tournament site. However, the close proximity of players and staff during competition may have contributed to the transmission of the virus.
The LPGA Tour is monitoring the situation closely and providing support to the affected players. It is hoped that those who have withdrawn will make a speedy recovery and be able to return to competition soon. In the meantime, the Tour continues to prioritize the health and well-being of its players and staff, and will take all necessary measures to prevent further spread of illness.
| Player | Reason for withdrawal |
|---|---|
| Yu Liu | Illness |
| Lizette Salas | Illness |
| Lilia Vu | Illness |
| Lauren Stephenson | Illness |
| Celine Boutier | Illness |
| Lexi Thompson | Illness |
| Lydia Ko | Illness |
Illness Impacts the Field
The LPGA and PGA Tours have been impacted by illness this week, with withdrawals from both circuits due to health concerns. On the LPGA Tour, Zhang Withdraws from LPGA Event Due to Illness, and on the PGA Tour, Sungjae Im Withdraws from CJ Cup at Byron Nelson Due to Unspecified Illness.
Zhang was scheduled to compete in the LPGA Tour’s Meijer LPGA Classic, but she withdrew on Tuesday due to an illness. This is the second time Zhang has missed a cut this season, with the other instance being the Lotte Championship in April. Despite her withdrawal this week, Zhang has had a solid season thus far, with five top-10 finishes and a victory at the ISPS Handa Vic Open in February.
Im was scheduled to compete in the PGA Tour’s CJ Cup at Byron Nelson, but he withdrew on Tuesday due to an unspecified illness. This is the second time Im has missed a cut this season, the other instance being the Sony Open in January. Despite his withdrawal this week, Im finished in a tie for 28th place and made the cut at the AT&T Byron Nelson last week after experiencing back issues.
The withdrawals of Zhang and Im are a reminder that illness can strike at any time, even for professional athletes. Both players have had strong seasons thus far, and their withdrawals are a blow to their respective tours.
The LPGA and PGA Tours will continue this week without Zhang and Im, but both players are expected to return to competition soon.
