JJ Spaun Withdraws From WM Phoenix Open Admid LIV Golf Rumors

(Image credit: Getty Images)

US Open champion JJ Spaun has withdrawn from the WM Phoenix Open just hours before the opening round.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.

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.

JJ Spaun at the top of his backswing with driver at the US Open, with an inset image of JJ Spaun in the finish position with driver at the Players Championship, as well as two further images of JJ Spaun holding the US Open trophy and celebrating his win at Oakmont Country Club

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.

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.

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