US Open champion JJ Spaun has withdrawn from the WM Phoenix Open just hours before the opening round.
Spaun was in a decent group at TPC Scottsdale and set to tee it up alongside Sahith Theegala and Sam Burns - with his place in that three-ball being taken up by Marcelo Rozo.
Last year's US Open champion at Oakmont was in action last week at the Farmers Insurance Open when he missed the cut at Torrey Pines, having finished T40 at the Sony Open in Hawaii in his first event of the year.
No reason was given for why Spaun, who actually lives in Scottsdale and was the second-highest ranked player in the field, pulled out at such late notice, but there was plenty of talk flying around on social media.
As Spaun is seen by some as a possible target for LIV Golf, and in particular as a replacement for Patrick Reed on the 4Aces team.
Team captain Dustin Johnson has called up Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines to play in the LIV Golf League opener in Riyadh this week, but he's not seen as a permanent replacement.
Tabuena says it is "an unbelievable opportunity for me this week" as he plays alongside Johnson and Belgian pair Thomas Detry and Thomas Pieters.
“Competing against the best players in the world has always been a dream of mine, and I still can’t believe it’s finally happening," said the winner of last year's International Series Philippines in front of his home fans.
Tabuena is unlikely to be a full-time 4Aces player though, with Spaun a popular name being mentioned about replacing Reed.
Grabbing the reigning US Open champion would be a decent get for LIV Golf, and a big boost after losing both Reed and Brooks Koepka.
LIV Golf being awarded OWGR ranking points may help in future bids to sign new players, but whether Spaun will be one of them remains to be seen.
"I think people want to be on the PGA Tour," Spaun said just last week at Torrey Pines. "It's the best Tour in the world, the most competitive Tour.
"I think Patrick will be a good asset to this Tour," he added about Reed. "And I think it just speaks volumes to where the Tour's headed. I think to add even more competition for us that have been here while they left, and, you know, adding Brooks and Patrick now, it's just strengthening our Tour, which I think is great."
There are a few golfers who've said similar of course and then joined LIV, while there also could be a perfectly good reason why Spaun has pulled out of his hometown event at the last minute.
But in this new golfing world we live in rumors about who is playing where spring up more and more often.
