The 2024 Mizuho Americas Open field has been decimated by illness, and the result is 10 players withdrawing from the starting field of 120 in a little more than a day of the event.
This is the second year for the tournament, played at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. Rose Zhang won the first year of the event, becoming the first player in some 70 years to win on the LPGA Tour in her first start as a professional golfer. Zhang withdrew from the tounament after just three holes of Thursday's first round.
After the withdrawal, Zhang wrote on Instagram, “I am really disappointed that I had to withdraw from the Mizuho Americas Open today. This tournament holds a special place in my heart, having had such an amazing week last year when I captured my first LPGA Tour win here at Liberty National. I was really looking forward to trying to defend my title, but unfortunately spent the last 12 hours with really bad intestinal pain.
“I am so grateful to my team and everyone involved in this event including (tournament host) Michelle Wie West. She has truly helped put on a world-class event and I wish everyone, including all of the amazing AJGA competitors, the best of luck this week.”
After Zhang, a string of players withdrew from the tournament on Thursday and Friday, including Lindsey Weaver-Wright, Maja Stark, Paula Creamer, Minami Katsu, Jiwon Jeon, Haeran Ryu, Caroline Masson, Ruoning Yin and A Lim Kim.
Stark's replacement, So Mi Lee, actually leads the tournament at the moment. So it could be an incredible story for Lee, who has struggled to maintain status on the LPGA Tour.
It's unclear if all of the players who have withdrawn share the same illness. If that's the case, it's not apparent what the illness is or who had it first.
