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Chase Koepka may not have teed up at the Travelers Championship this week even though he worked his way into it through Monday qualifiers. He withdrew because he felt he had been in contact with some who had contracted the Corona virus. Disappointing to say the least, but he took it on the chin.
But the guys at the Travelers did not miss the call Chase took as a precaution and withdrew due to reasons related to the coronavirus. He ensured others in the field were not endangered.
Even before the 2020 edition had teed off, Tournament Director Nathan Grube confirmed that Chase Koepka has a standing invitation to play in next year’s tournament.
“It is 100% confirmed,” Grube said. “I called Chase this morning and I said, ‘Listen, I don’t know if you’ll even need it next year, but if you need a spot, we have you covered. We were so excited for you, so looking forward to see you play, and we know you’re disappointed. But you’re here (next year). You’ve got a spot.’”
This Monday, Chase Koepka worked hard to come through the heart-breaking Monday qualifiers at Ellington Ridge Country Club to earn a spot on the Travelers Championship. He shot 67, tied with four others. He fought and won one of the two spots available. The icing on the cake was that his ‘big’ brother, four-time Major winner and World No. 1 till sometime back, was at hand to see him make it to the PGA tour event.
A spot sealed, he even got himself a practice round with brother, Brooks, and Graeme McDowell, the 2010 US Open champion. It all seemed to be working like a dream. And then came the nightmare.
The elder Koepka’s caddie and McDowell’s caddie tested positive and though Koepka and McDowell tested negative, they withdrew as a precaution. Since Chase had played a practice round with them, he also withdrew.
The younger Koepka, 26, was quoted as telling PGA Tour.com, “I was ecstatic when I got the call this morning. I obviously didn’t know something like that would happen.”
Chase played on Europe’s Challenge Tour last season and has status on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020. Butt he has been looking for starts on PGA. In 2017, he played the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Brooks and logged a career-best fifth place.
As for the call confirming his 2021 start, Chase said, “It makes me feel so great that they saw what I did,” he said. “Hopefully I don’t need the start and can find a way to earn my PGA TOUR card for next year.”
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