Harris English on Monday became the fifth PGA Tour player to test positive for the coronavirus, learning the results at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.
English did not play last week’s Travelers Championship and traveled Monday to the event, where he was required to take a COVID-19 test prior to getting access to Detroit Golf Club.
Because of the positive result, he must self-isolate for 10 days and had to withdraw from the event.
“While it’s disappointing to receive this news, as I feel healthy, I’m pleased that the new safety protocols we have in place worked this week,” English said in a statement. “I fully support the Tour’s new rule of not allowing anyone on the tournament grounds until testing negative, as protecting others in the field and everyone affiliated with the tournament and the community should be No. 1 priority as a result of a positive test.”
A two-time PGA Tour winner who is ranked 139th in the world, Harris, 30, tied for 17th at the RBC Heritage two weeks ago after missing the cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
He joins Nick Watney, Cameron Champ, Denny McCarthy and Dylan Frittelli as players who have now tested positive. Champ, McCartharty, Frittelli and English have now done so in the last week are in ineligible to play in Detroit. Two caddies of PGA Tour players have also tested positive, meaning a total of seven cases across four weeks to this point.
The Rocket Mortgage Classic is the fourth tournament in the PGA Tour’s revised schedule which saw 13 weeks of tournaments canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.