World No 1 Jon Rahm withdraws from The Players due to stomach virus

Jon Rahm’s sensational season on the PGA Tour will not include a first win in The Players Championship after the world No 1 withdrew before the second round due to a stomach virus.

Rahm, who has already won three times this season on the US circuit, had opened the $25 million event at TPC Sawgrass in Florida with a one-under-par 71 in the company of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.

But world No 2 Scheffler and third-ranked McIlroy were left playing as a two-ball in the marquee group in the second circuit after Rahm was forced to call it a day.

The Spaniard informed McIlroy of his decision as the Northern Irishman, who headed out battling to make the cut after a first-day 76, was warming up on the range at the Ponte Vedra Beach venue.

Jon Rahm talks with caddie Adam Hayes during the opening round of The Players Championship before withdrawing from the second round at TPC Sawgrass in Florida due to illness. Picture: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

Rahm returned to world No 1 after winning the Genesis Invitational last month, having also landed the Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express in January. A brilliant run of form also saw him land two title triumphs on the DP World Tour, including the season-ending event in Dubai.

He suffered a rare disappointment of late when having to settle for a tie for 39th in last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational after leading following the opening round at Bay Hill. His next scheduled start is the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin on Wednesday week.

American Ben Griffin followed an opening 67 with a 71 on the Stadium Course to set the clubhouse target on six-under, two shots better than both Viktor Hovland and Jason Day.

Hovland, who is set to be a key man in Europe’s Ryder Cup team in Rome later this year, covered his opening 11 holes in five-under to move to nine-under before dropping four shots over the closing stretch.

“Yeah, obviously in a good spot, but pretty disappointed I didn't finish it off today because I played some really, really good golf,” admitted the Norwegian afterwards. “Yeah, it's frustrating with that finish.”

Paying tribute to the man who designed the course, he added: “It's one of the great things about Pete Dye is that he kind of challenges you. There's enough room to hit golf shots between the rough and on the greens, but he makes it very visually intimidating.”

Former world No 1 Day confirmed his recent return to form by carding a second successive 70 to sit handily-placed on four-under. “I'd like to think so,” the Australian replied to being asked if he felt his game was back on track. “Obviously I'm coming off the back end of some really good golf, which is nice.”

There will be no Scottish representation in the final two rounds after Russell Knox and Martin Laird both bowed out following a disappointing couple of days for each of them.

Knox, who was in the title hunt on the final day 12 months ago before finishing in a tie for sixth, could only manage rounds of 75-77 on this occasion, with his second circuit starting with a triple-bogey at the tenth before running up another one at the 17th.

Eleven years after tying for second behind Matt Kuchar, Laird opened with a 76 before struggling again as he added an 81, which contained back-to-back double-bogey 6s before a bogey-triple bogey finish.

Play was suspended for the day due to inclement weather at 4.27pm local time. No players in the afternoon wave finished their round, meaning 71 players remain on the golf course when play restarts on Saturday morning.