Sungjae Iparticipation m’s in the PGA Championship is in jeopardy after he tested positive for COVID-19 in his home country of South Korea.
Im had come home to compete in the Woori Financial Group Championship on the Korean Tour, but he tested positive hours before the first round and withdrew, according to local press reports.
Im had not gone to Korea to compete in a KPGA event since October of last year. On Tuesday, he held a press conference ahead of the competition.
“It’s not an easy schedule going back and forth between Korea and the United States,” he told local reporters, “but it’s been a while since I’ve played in Korea, so I’ll enjoy it as much as I can and try to retain my form.”
Inext m’s steps are unclear at this time. He will most likely miss the PGA Championship, which starts next Thursday in Oklahoma, if he is compelled to quarantine due to the country’s health and safety rules.
The CDC issued a travel warning last month after discovering that South Korea has a “high” level of COVID-19.
Tough luck for Sungjae Im who tests positive for Covid at a Korean Tour event today and has withdrawn. His participation in next week's PGA Championship is in doubt due to the country's health regulations which won't allow him to leave at least a week …
— Chuah Choo Chiang (@chuahcc) May 12, 2022
Im, who is ranked 20th in the world, hasn’t played since tying for 21st at the RBC Heritage. After leading the opening round of the Masters, he tied for ninth place.
If Im is unable to compete in the PGA, Kramer Hickok is named as the first alternate.
