I can’t make a thread without the text box disappearing.
Lots of talk on Twitter about this. Wondering if people have any comments about it.
Some people think that he should have been able to play the last round by himself with only his caddie or carrying his own bag.
Jon Rahm had his first dose of the vaccine one day AFTER he was told he was exposed to a positive Covid person. So not vaccinated.
By having to withdraw, he lost a possible $1.75 million dollars. Since he was leading by 6, it’s very probable that he would have won.
My person opinion, his choice not to be vaccinated. Also his employers choice to have him withdraw. Employers made the rules, should they change them because the guy involved was leading the tournament?
I’m surprised a little that they made him withdraw because it’s golf: sole player, outside, spectators away from him, no caddie or caddie’s choice to go with him, could have worn a mask etc….
In the flip side, why did he wait to get vaccinated?
My H and I were just talking about this. My thought is he knew the risks and I’m assuming knew he wouldn’t be allowed to play if he tested positive - with all that on the line he should have gotten vaccinated- he’s had plenty of time to do so.
Not quite…after showing Rahm getting the bad news that he tested positive, he immediately went to the clubhouse to sign his scorecard as is required after finishing each round, I think. I’ve never been in a clubhouse during a tournament, but I would assume that there would be tons of players, caddies, tournament officials etc in there too. There are plenty of opportunities for him to come into contact with folks during a PGA tournament.
Each of us takes our own risks in life, and he took his. It is sad, but, he had an option. I think he was six strokes ahead going into Sunday, and it would have taken a catastrophe for him to not win. And catastrophe did strike, but not in the way most of us would have thought.
I have been extremely impressed by Rahm. He did not whine, and he took it with grace.
He knew that he was exposed, and he knew that he would have to withdraw if he got a positive test at any point during the tournament. Obviously, he hoped that wouldn’t happen, but when it did, he accepted the outcome. The alternative would have been to withdraw from the tournament before it began, but he took the chance in hopes exposure didn’t equate to getting Covid. The PGA has to have rules, and they have to follow their rules … in fact, they have so many rules about so many things, and more than one golfer has lost out on a win as a result. I admire the fact that golfers usually accept their fate when the rules bite them.
Rumor is that Rahm got the vaccine right away after he found out he’d been exposed. Apparently, quite a few golfers are unvaccinated. Bet that there will be a run on vaccines by pro golfers in the next week or two, if that’s true. The possibility of losing out on that much money will be a powerful enticement.
Agreed. It was really painful to watch that video when he got the news, and I cannot imagine what HE felt. But he handled it stoically and with grace.
Apparently he knew he had been in contact with a person who had covid and was allowed to complete if he agreed to daily testing. Unfortunately for him, the timing of his positive test was terrible. He did handle it well but why didn’t he just get vaccinated?
Excellent question. I feel sorry for him, but excellent question.
On the broadcast today they mentioned that about 50% of pros are vaccinated and that many of the tour players are in their 20s. Depending on where they live/residence, many of them were not eligible to be vaccinated until relatively recently. Tour expects the number of players who are vaccinated to increase significantly in the next several weeks as a result.
According to Jon Rahm’s bad business decision costs him at the Memorial , Rahm’s home state was Arizona, which opened eligibility to everyone on March 24, though someone from Arizona may want to comment about when it actually became easy to get vaccine there if it was later than that.
However, people from late-easy-vaccine-availability places where that occurred only around May 1 may just barely be reaching fully vaccinated status if they got the Pfizer vaccine (most common) then. If they got Moderna vaccine then, then they still have a week to go. Those who got the J&J vaccine then were fully vaccinated by mid-May, but the J&J vaccine is the least commonly available due to manufacturing problems.
If golfers (or anyone) had at least one dose of any of the 3 US-approved covid vaccines, it would have reduced their risk of contracting covid AND served as a good example for their fans, loved ones and families, as well as protection for those they come into contact with. Of course full vaccination + 2 weeks is best but some protection is better than none. The pharmacies nationwide are reported to have vaccine and accept walk-in patients. Sorry, people have to live with the consequences of their actions snd omissions.
It looks like Florida opened up the vaccine to all ages April 1. Because of favorable taxes and weather (no state income taxes) a vast majority of golfers live in AZ, FL, some in TX. (Amend that I don’t know the state income tax situation in AZ but many golf pros live there)
Pros don’t play every week. Besides the fact that the tour has played in TX, GA, LA, SC, states that have open to all ages for a while and every person in the US has been eligible since the middle of April. These pros have a team of people. Someone, even their mothers or wives, girlfriends could schedule a vaccine at home or on the road if they chose.
I know personally people who have had their shots in different states. Lately the golfers could have walked into plenty of drug stores for a vaccine. Including there was a vaccination site at the golf tournament this week.
Lots of opportunities to get a vaccine. It wasn’t a priority for these mostly young healthy athletes.
Maybe it will be now that one of theirs lost out on $1.75 million.
They didn’t say (in 30 mins or so I watched) where Rahm lived or when he was eligible. Point was to the broader tour. Not a golf fan (though I have been to that tournament a couple times so I watched it) so I didn’t know where he lived until your post. Wife also likes to have golf on the TV if she is looking to take a nap (baseball does the trick too).
I don’t have simpathy for him. He makes a very good living playing a game (that many people love). But I do think young people (particularly in good health) have shown hesitancy which is reflected in the tour numbers. And in the 50 events since the pandemic began, there have been 4 golfers who tested positive. Many likely viewed the risk as low. Cost him no doubt. But overall, I think he will be fine.
Interesting that only 50% of pro golfers are vaccinated. I don’t follow golf so I googled Rahm and see that he is the same age as my D2 who lives in California and is fully vaccinated. I guess Rahm will be heading out my way next week to play at Torrey Pines. He can go to the CVS near my house (less than 2 miles from Torrey Pines) and get his vaccine! I wonder if other unvaccinated golfers on the tour will now choose to get the shot.
I’m surprised that the PGA tour didn’t make arrangements to vaccinate any golfer/caddie who wants it.
Rahm got his vaccine last week, from what I read.
That’s something we don’t know. The PGA tour hasn’t made public what they’ve done.
But the Memorial tournament this weekend had a vaccination site right on the course. To encourage any spectators but I’m sure they would have vaccinated any players or caddies.
I’m glad this happened and shows these mostly young men what can happen if they choose not to be vaccinated
Jon Rahm won the US Open today. His first major. And as a new father on Father’s Day.
We live a couple of miles from Torrey Pines. H and I took a walk to glider port yesterday which backs onto the golf course and is where they were parking the press and spectators. We could see a couple of the holes being played on our walk, but they were far away.