


This was not a great start in what many consider a potential statement week for LIV Golf.
Kevin Na, who was a part of the first group off the tee, withdrew from the 2023 Masters with an undisclosed illness after an ugly front nine.
Na did appear to be struggling walking the hilly Georgia course.
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As one Twitter user wrote with a video, “Why is Kevin Na so sad?”
Na started his day with a double bogey on the first hole.
After a birdie on the par-5 second hole, Na bogeyed five of his final seven holes before calling it a tournament.
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“I was telling Kenny [Harms], my caddie, saying that it feels like it’s been longer than a year since I’ve been here,” Na said earlier in the week, according to Golf Channel.
“I think part of the reason why is I haven’t seen some of my friends that play on a different tour, and I haven’t seen everybody in a long period of time. Maybe that’s the reason why.”
The 39-year-old Na had qualified for the Masters by being in the top 50 players in the World Rankings.
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He will slide down those rankings and likely be unable to play next year at Augusta, as the LIV Golf Tour is not eligible for world ranking points.
Na had 15 career starts at the Masters and had finished in the top-15 in each of the last three years.
As the first group off, Na was only playing with 2003 Masters champ Mike Weir.
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The Canadian, Weir, was impressively even through 12 holes.
Na was one of 18 LIV golfers who split from the PGA Tour in the field at Augusta.
Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed — both past champions — were among the LIV golfers out early.