Golf: Leader Jon Rahm withdraws from Memorial Tournament due to positive COVID-19 test

Jon Rahm has been forced to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament that he was leading by six strokes on Sunday (NZ time), after the Spaniard tested positive for COVID-19.

The 26-year-old's most recent test, conducted after Saturday's rain-shortened second round, came back positive on Sunday and it was confirmed again while he was on the course.

Spain's Rahm - the third-ranked golfer in the world - shot an 8-under-par 64 and was at a tournament-record 18 under after three rounds.

He was notified of his positive test result immediately after finishing his round and was visibly shaken, as he made his way from the course.

If he'd gone on to win on Monday, Rahm would have pocketed $US1.67 million ($NZ1.79m) at the Ohio event.

Collin Morikawa and Patrick Cantlay are now the co-leaders at 12 under.

"On the evening Monday, May 31, the PGA TOUR notified Jon Rahm that he was subject to contact-tracing protocols, as he had come in close contact with a person who was COVID positive," says the PGA. 

"Per the TOUR's COVID Health & Safety Plan, Rahm was given the option to remain in the competition and enter our tracing protocol, which includes daily testing and restricted access to indoor facilities. Rahm has remained asymptomatic.

"Rahm has tested negative every day, but his most recent test - which was performed after the conclusion of his second round (rain delayed) and before the start of his third round - returned positive at approximately 4:20 p.m. ET while Rahm was on the golf course. 

"The PGA TOUR's medical advisor requested a confirmatory test on the original sample, which came back at 6:05 p.m. ET, and was also positive."

The PGA also said there have been only four positive tests (including Rahm) within competition over the past 50 tournaments, though Rahm is the first positive, asymptomatic case.

Reuters.