Jon Rahm is forced to pull out of Players Championship

World No. 1 Jon Rahm has pulled out of the Players Championship ahead of the second round due to illness.

The Spaniard has been in sensational form and was the favorite to claim another PGA Tour title at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Florida, this week. 

He withdrew around 30 minutes before his tee time with what his manager referred to as a ‘bad stomach bug.’ 

He ended the first day seven shots behind leader Chad Ramey after carding a one-under-par 71 in the opening round on Thursday.

Rahm arrived at the traditional circuit’s flagship event eyeing already his fourth win of the season.  

World No. 1 Jon Rahm pulled out of the Players Championship on Friday due to illness

Little-known Chad Ramey will be hoping he can maintain his surprising place atop leaderboard

He has finished in the top 10 in six of his seven starts on the PGA Tour this season and was due to tee off Friday afternoon alongside fellow major champions Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.

Ramey managed to avoid stress and bogeys in the first round for an eight-under 64, making him an unlikely leader.

Ramey had a one-shot lead over two-time major champion Collin Morikawa in mild conditions. Roughly half the field was at par or better.

McIlroy had his highest score in just over a year. The 2019 Players champion opened with a six, closed with a six and was pretty ordinary in between on his way to a 76.

Ramey had no such problems, putting for birdie on all but two holes during the slightly more peaceful morning conditions.

‘I might have made it look that way but it wasn’t easy at all,’ Ramey said. 

‘It was fun. First time to shoot a score on such an iconic course like this. You can´t ask for any more.’

The Spaniard withdrew with what his manager referred to as a ‘bad stomach bug’