Playing this season on conditional status, World No. 470 Vaughn Taylor withdrew (illness) during Round 1 of the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Out of the late wave and playing with Troy Merritt, last year’s co-runner-up, and alternate Robert Garrigus, the 46-year-old was 3-over thru nine holes when he called it a day. He opened with birdie-3 at 10 (5'1"), bogeyed 13 (missed par-saver from 7'0"), and walked it off with a one-putt bogey-6 at 17 and a 3-putt double bogey-6 at 18 (from 53'0"). The Augusta State alum, who arrived 167th in the FedExCup standings, was making his third appearance at the Rocket with a best of T46 at the inaugural in 2019, and is a mid-tourney WD for a 13th time in 455 events, first since the Mexico Open eight starts ago, where he WD (shoulder) prior to R2 after opening with 4-over 75.