Bubba Watson withdraws from The Open Championship due to COVID-19 contact tracing
On July 16, 2021, Bubba Watson announced his withdrawal from The Open Championship at Royal St George's Golf Club due to COVID-19 contact tracing protocols. Despite not testing positive for the virus, Watson was identified as a close contact and as per health regulations, he was unable to travel to the United Kingdom to compete in the event. This was a significant event as it highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on professional sports, where key players could be sidelined due to health and safety measures even if they were not directly affected by the virus themselves.