LIV Golf Injury Update: Matthew Wolff Abruptly Exits Jeddah Race as Illness Strikes

After rocky team dynamics, Matthew Wolff finally found his squad for the 2024 season. The golf world is well aware of how Brooks Koepka and Wolff could not see eye to eye for most of 2023. However, at the tail end of the season, the 24-year-old was traded to Bubba Watson’s team, Range Goats GC, for Talor Gooch.

He seems to have settled with Watson’s leadership, as after playing two events, the team had only good things to say about each other. However, Wolff will not be able to play the final round at LIV Golf Jeddah as an unprecedented sickness spell has been cast over him.

It had been only over two hours since the second at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club started, and suddenly, Matthew Wolff called for his withdrawal. The LIV Golf Communication posted a tweet announcing that Wolff left the greens due to an illness; however, the sickness was not revealed. Wolff had played only three holes with his group, Kieran Vincent and Matt Jones.

Through the three holes, Wolff had already shot two bogeys on the par-4 13th and 14th holes after a par putt on the opening hole, the 12th. The golfer had two over carded on the scoreboard in merely 3 holes. In any case, the Royal Greens were proving to be a challenge for Wolff.

As in the opening round, the Simi Valley native was on par. Wolff started with a par putt on his opening hole; however, at the end had 3 bogeys in his account. The 24-year-old made many attempts to make a birdie. He then succeeded and made three birdies at the 10th, 11th and 14th holes. The score had him finished tied at 40 on the leaderboard and eight strokes away from round one leaders Jon Rahm and Adrian Meronk.

Nonetheless, someone will now take the place of Wolff for his team’s gameplay, as he will clearly be unable to play. However, one striking difference that can be observed from Wolff’s withdrawal is what his captain’s reaction will be. Because the last time he withdrew from an event, things were not as merry for Wolff.

What happened when Wolff withdrew from LIV Golf DC? 

In May 2022, Matthew Wolff withdrew from the LIV Golf event occurring in Washington, DC. The then-Smash GC team member had attributed the withdrawal to an undisclosed injury. The situation was quite similar; after playing two rounds, Wolff withdrew. The sudden removal of Wolff had agitated Brooks Koepka. The 5-time major winner exclaimed in his interview with Sports Illustrated that he has “basically given up on him.”

Read More: After Ugly Spat With Brooks Koepka, LIV Golf Pro Finds Fierce Ally in Team Captain: ‘Proven That He’s Talented’

Koepka questioned Wolff’s work ethic and passion for golf. Although he complimented him, saying that he has a “lot of talent,” but he accompanied that sentence with a daggering remark. The Smash GC captain exclaimed that the “talent’s wasted” if Wolff would keep on withdrawing. It was pretty much the start of a rift between them, which ended up in the trade.

Will Bubba Watson, aka the cool captain, understand Wolff’s condition, or will it invite a similar reaction? Stay tuned to find out.

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