British Open withdrawals adding up

Former champion Zach Johnson tested positive for the coronavirus before getting on a charter flight to the British Open, forcing him to join the growing list of withdrawals and ending his streak at playing 69 consecutive majors. Johnson, left, who played in the John Deere Classic in Illinois on Sunday, had a positive COVID-19 test and withdrew. Johnson, 45, who won the claret jug in 2015, missed the Masters in his rookie year on the PGA Tour in 2004. He played in every major since then until the British Open. Players at the John Deere were tested before the charter flight to England. That brings to 16 the number of players who have withdrawn or chosen not to take their spots in the field for the 149th edition of golf ’s oldest championship. The field is missing seven players from the top 75 in the world, unusual for a major. Some had no choice. Masters champ Hideki Matsuyama at No. 18 was the highest-ranked player to withdraw. He had a positive COVID-19 test on July 2, and while he has gone through 10 days of self-isolation without symptoms, his tests keep coming back positive.