Yahoo Finance Golfer Bryson DeChambeau Out of Tokyo Olympics After Testing Positive for COVID, Replaced by Patrick Reed
Patrick Smith/Getty Bryson DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau will be unable to compete in Tokyo.
On Saturday, the PGA released a statement announcing that DeChambeau, 27, "tested positive as part of the final testing protocol before he left the United States for the Olympics 2020 in Japan."
"I am deeply disappointed not to be able to compete in the Olympics for Team USA," DeChambeau said in a statement. "Representing my country means the world to me and it was a tremendous honor to make this team. I wish Team USA the best of luck next week in Tokyo. I will now focus on getting healthy, and I look forward to returning to competition once I am cleared to do so."
Replacing DeChambeau will be Patrick Reed, who is undergoing the testing protocol for the next three days before leaving the U.S. for Japan ahead of the first round of competition on July 29.
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Reed, 30, is now the veteran of the Team USA golf team as he played in the 2016 Rio Games. Joining Reed in Tokyo are Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele in the men's competition.
"I am so excited to have the opportunity to represent our country and be a part of Team USA in Tokyo. I wish Bryson nothing but the best, and I know how disappointed he is to not be able to compete, and I will do my best to play my best and represent our country," Reed said in a statement.
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Sam Greenwood/Getty
"We're obviously disappointed for Bryson, as we know how much he was looking forward to representing the United States in his first Olympics," said Andy Levinson, USA Golf Executive Director. "But we're thrilled that Patrick Reed is excited to play for his country when he is called upon, even with the strenuous testing protocols and he is set to arrive just in time to compete – on a golf course he will have never seen prior to the start of competition. It really illustrates the importance of the Olympics and the value Patrick places on playing for Team USA and for his country. We're excited to welcome him to Tokyo soon and know he'll be a formidable competitor for Team USA."
So far, at least 123 cases tied to the Olympics have been reported. Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto previously said he was not ruling out an 11th-hour cancellation of the Olympics, should the situation drastically deteriorate.
"We will continue discussions if there is a spike in cases. We have agreed that based on the coronavirus situation, we will convene five-party talks again," Muto recently said. "At this point, the coronavirus cases may rise or fall, so we will think about what we should do when the situation arises."
To learn more about Team USA, visit TeamUSA.org. Watch the Tokyo Olympics now on NBC.
