WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Palm Beach County native and Jupiter resident Brooks Koepka said he will withdraw from this weekend's Travelers Championship after his caddie tested positive for the new coronavirus.
"I'm going to pull out to protect everybody else," the 30-year-old professional golfer told Golfweek. "I think it's the right thing to do. I don't want to risk anyone's life if they have respiratory issues or underlying conditions."
Koepka initially tested negative for COVID-19 upon arriving at the PGA Tour stop in Cromwell, Connecticut, but he took another test Wednesday morning after learning caddie Ricky Elliott tested positive.
"The only way this Tour can continue is if guys do this sort of thing and be proactive about it," Koepka said.
Brooks Koepka: pic.twitter.com/qiRfScLEvT
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) June 24, 2020
Koepka told Golfweek his girlfriend was also being tested Wednesday at the golf course. Depending on the results, he will decide if they return to South Florida or need to quarantine in Connecticut.
"I'd rather be safe than sorry," he said.
Koepka, who has won four majors and is currently the fourth-ranked golfer in the world, was born in West Palm Beach and went to Cardinal Newman High School. He turned pro in 2012 after graduating from Florida State University.