DUBLIN, Ohio — As golf attempts to get back to normal, you would have been hard-pressed to think things were not as they always were Sunday at Muirfield Village Golf Club for the final round of the Memorial Tournament.
Jack Nicklaus, tournament founder, host and 18-time major champion, took up his usual spot in the CBS-TV broadcast tower. He was there beside the 18th green to greet winner Patrick Cantlay, who outlasted Collin Morikawa in playoff. A robust crowd stood near the 18th green.
And those on hand and watching on TV could appreciated the drama, as Cantlay, Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler staged a daylong battle over Nicklaus’ course. A tournament so close it needed extra holes.
Of course, almost all were aware such a scenario played out only because Jon Rahm was in isolation somewhere after testing positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. It might not have dampened their enthusiasm, but it was nearly impossible to ignore.
Had Rahm been able to play Sunday, he would have needed only a 4-over-par 76 to win by a one shot. He led by six strokes and was 18 under before his world was turned upside down. The playoff participants ended 72 holes at 13 under. It was hard to envision anyone getting close to where Rahm stood after Saturday.
But Rahm had sit by like everyone else on Sunday, the shocking development hovering over the tournament like the rain clouds that added one more bit of intrigue as play was winding down.
“Such a weird situation and so unfortunate,” Cantlay said. “Because, me included, everyone knows it would have been a totally different day had that not happened. But there’s nothing I could do about it. I just tried as hard as I could to reset and get focused.”
Cantlay and Morikawa each shot 71. Cantlay won when Morikawa bogeyed the first playoff hole. Rahm could only watch — that is, even if he could bear to tune in.
Rahm shot 8-under-par 64 on Saturday, after having shot a 65 that included a hole-in-one at the conclusion of the second round earlier in the day. He looked dominant and seemed destined for a sixth PGA Tour victory and to inch closer to No. 1 Dustin Johnson in the Official World Golf Ranking.
It got wiped out due to the positive COVID-19 test.
For the past year, players have gone through numerous protocols and procedures in order to play professional golf. In April, the PGA Tour said it would allow players to forgo COVID-19 testing if they were completely vaccinated. Never had this happened, a tournament leader getting knocked out of the event.
Rahm was part of the PGA Tour’s contact-tracing protocols because he had been around someone who tested positive. That meant he needed to test every day. His tests on Monday through Friday came up negative. His test on Saturday came back positive. He had to be immediately removed from the tournament.
Three other times over the past year a player was removed from a tournament after having tested positive once the competition began: Nick Watney at the RBC Heritage last June, Denny McCarthy at the Travelers Championship and Branden Grace at the Barracuda Championship. Grace’s situation was similar to Rahm in that he was in contention.
But Grace didn’t have the lead, as Rahm did. Also, that event wasn’t nearly as prominent as the Memorial.
“I think we have all been really scared and we have all thought of this what-if scenario,” Morikawa said. “But that’s the thing with what-ifs. We can only think about it and think what we’re going to try and do, do that until it actually happens; and it’s very unfortunate for him to have a 6-shot lead and it’s kind of in his possession right there.
“Obviously, we know the risks. People know the risks of not getting vaccinated. It’s a personal choice. No one should be judged.”
Morikawa made it clear that he was disappointed Rahm was getting a hard time over his vaccination status.
Rahm this past week received a COVID-19 vaccine. But prior to doing so, he had been in contact with someone who tested positive, hence he was required to go through the Tour’s protocols.
Jon Rahm has had to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament after testing positive for COVID-19.
Rahm had tied the tournament records for lowest score thru 54 holes (198) and largest lead thru 54 holes (6 strokes) prior to his withdrawal. pic.twitter.com/n3qHJ0k4qO
That meant no access to the clubhouse, locker room or player dining. Although his status was not announced publicly, Rahm made it apparent to those he was with in the pro-am, playing partners and anyone he came in contact with of his status.
Golf has not missed a scheduled event since returning a year ago this week. There have been positive COVID-19 cases, to be sure, just like there have been in other sports, in all walks of life.
But there have been no major outbreaks, no huge spikes at any tournament. There was a bit of a scare in April when four players tested positive the same week after the tournament in New Orleans, but that turned out to be about the worst of it.
The PGA Tour made it to this point with no huge headlines — until Rahm.
He took the high road in the statement he released via Twitter, saying, “These things happen in life.” And undoubtedly, losing nearly $1.7 million in prize money — the take for winning — had to sting. But there was more: another victory and the momentum as he went into the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, seeking his first major title. Had Rahm won the Memorial, he’d have gone to San Diego a big favorite.
Now that is less clear. Rahm is subject to a 10-day isolation — unless he tests negative for two days at least 24 hours apart. Whatever happens next, for Rahm, Sunday’s final round at the Memorial played out with plenty of suspense despite the invisible asterisk that will go along with it.
Skenes and Davis became the first pitcher/catcher battery in major league history, comprising players selected No. 1 in the draft. Skenes (2-1), the top pick in 2023, gave up two runs, one earned, and struck out six in six innings as the Pirates ended a three-game losing streak.
Davis, selected No. 1 in 2021, singled after replacing injured starter Endy Rodriguez in the first inning. Rodriguez lacerated the index finger on his right hand after a Skenes pitch hit James Wood‘s foot and deflected toward Rodriguez.
It hasn’t been as smooth of a ride to the majors for Davis that it was for Skenes, but perhaps this is the year the 25-year-old, who had a standout career at Louisville, sticks with the big club. Just when it seemed he might have the inside track on the starting catcher job last season, the Pirates landed Joey Bart, who took over the club’s primary duties behind the plate.
“(Henry) can call a game,” Skenes said after the win. “He was prepared. It’s not a surprise. I’ve been with him for the better part of two years now. You want to see why he’s the type of player he is, you don’t have to look very far. For him to come into a tough situation, call the game and catch as well as he did says a lot about it.”
There might be a window now to gain additional starts at catcher. After the win, Pirates manager Derek Shelton told reporters that Rodriguez needed four stitches for a laceration on his right index finger, and that a trip to the injured list seemed likely.
“Just being ready to jump in, and know what (Skenes) wanted to do, and be on his page pretty quickly,” Davis said of his preparation for Monday’s moment, “that was the goal.”
The 22-year-old Skenes, who gave up a career-worst five runs in a loss to St. Louis last week, had little trouble with the Nationals. The reigning National League Rookie of the Year’s only real issue was with Pittsburgh’s defense, including his own. Skenes was tagged with a pair of errors for wayward pickoff attempts, the second of which led to an unearned run in the sixth.
By then, however, the Pirates were comfortably ahead, a rarity during an ugly opening two-plus weeks to the season filled with missteps.
Oneil Cruz had two hits and scored twice while batting leadoff. Enmanuel Valdez and Ke’Bryan Hayes both drove in three runs. Bryan Reynolds drove in a pair of runs. Andrew McCutchen added a hit and made a pretty sliding grab in right field, flinging his 38-year-old body to the PNC Park turf to rob Keibert Ruiz of a hit in the sixth.
Nasim Nunez had two of Washington’s five hits. Brad Lord (0-1) slogged through 4⅓ innings, giving up four runs, three earned, and six hits with three walks and a strikeout.
MINNEAPOLIS — New York Mets outfielder Jose Siri is headed to the injured list with a broken left leg.
Siri fouled a pitch off the leg Saturday against the Athletics and had to be carted off the field. An initial X-ray was negative, but Siri underwent an MRI on Monday that showed a fractured tibia.
“We’ve got to get more information before we know how long he’s going to be out, but he’s going to be out for a while,” manager Carlos Mendoza said after the Mets beat Minnesota 5-1 on Monday night.
A roster move is expected Tuesday.
Siri was using crutches for the second straight day.
“It’s obviously disappointing whenever something like that happens, but we’re not going to get too ahead of ourselves, probably get it re-evaluated within the next week,” Siri said through an interpreter. “I’m a quick healer so hopefully something good can come out of it.”
Acquired from Tampa Bay in a November trade, Siri is 1-for-20 this season and hitless in his last 16 at-bats. But he is a fast runner and plays strong defense. He scored from third Friday on a sacrifice fly to shallow right field.
Tyrone Taylor has started in center field for New York the past two games.
New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has been named the captain of Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said Monday.
Judge will be making his WBC debut. He did not play in the WBC in 2023 when Team USA, also managed by DeRosa, lost to Japan in the title game. Angels star Mike Trout served as captain of that team.
“Just getting a chance to represent this country, what this country means to me,” Judge told MLB Network. “Honestly, every game, during the national anthem [and] ‘God Bless America,’ getting a chance to sit out there, for me it’s a time to reflect about all the brave men and women that have fought for this country and given me the opportunity to step on a baseball field and play a game that I love.
“Now, getting a chance to have ‘USA’ across my chest and represent all the great people in our country and represent what this country means, it’s a great opportunity. I never had this opportunity before, even growing up as a kid, so I’m definitely looking forward to it.”
Judge, who turns 33 on April 26, is the first player to be named to the team.
“I got an opportunity before I get too old and Mark doesn’t want me anymore,” Judge said at Yankee Stadium later Monday.
The reigning American League MVP — his second — is off to another hot start in 2025, hitting .357 with six home runs and 20 RBIs through his first 15 games. The six-time All-Star and three-time AL home run leader has 321 home runs and 736 RBIs with a career batting average of .289 since entering the majors in 2016.
Judge, who said he declined to play in the 2023 tournament after having just gone through free agency and being named Yankees captain, said he did not give the Yankees advance notice of his selection this time around.
“I felt like first my responsibility [in 2023] was to the Yankees,” Judge said. “I wanted to be a big part of getting the Yankees back where they need to be, so I felt I couldn’t miss that first spring training.”
Said Yankees manager Aaron Boone: “I think it’s the perfect face to be captain of Team USA.”
DeRosa said he told Trout about his decision to go with Judge as captain on Sunday.
“I reached out to Trout yesterday, told him where we were going,” DeRosa said. “He said, `He’s the one.'”
Teams have been more reticent to allow starting pitchers to participate in the preseason tournament.
“From a position-player standpoint I could probably fill out five lineups with guys that want to do it,” DeRosa said. “It’ll be the pitching that we have to lock down.”
The World Baseball Classic will run from March 5 to March 17, 2026. Games will take place in Houston, Miami, Tokyo and San Juan, Puerto Rico, with the semifinals and championship game in Miami.
The U.S. will be with Britain, Brazil, Italy and Mexico in Group B of the first round at Houston’s Minute Maid Park from March 6-11.
“Something happens when you put U-S-A across your chest and you walk into the dugout and you see all those games,” DeRosa said. “You’re playing for way more than yourself. You’re playing for your great-grandfather. You’re planning for your grandparents, your parents, what they represent, your morals, your values, everything.”
Team USA last won the World Baseball Classic in 2017.
The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.
