Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka hit a tee box marker into the crowd before withdrawing from the first round of the LIV Golf event in Dallas.
The American, 35, smashed his club into the ground then struck the marker on the left of the tee towards a small group of fans after a poor tee shot on the ninth hole at Maridoe Golf Club.
LIV said it was because of illness and he had been “feeling under the weather all week”.
He was replaced by Mexican reserve Luis Carrera for the remainder of the round, with their combined score counting towards their team Smash GC’s score.
LIV said Koepka can return for the second and third rounds but his score would contribute only to his team’s.
Koepka, who has won five times on the LIV tour, missed the cut at the Masters in April and the US PGA Championship in May, and finished tied for 12th at this month’s US Open.
Speaking about his form after the first round of the US Open, he said: “I would say from the first weekend in April until about last week, you didn’t want to be around me.
“It drove me nuts. It ate at me. I haven’t been happy. It’s been very irritating.”
The former world number one won the most recent of his majors in 2023 at the US PGA.
Content adapted by the team from the original source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/articles/clynq0wrp90o
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