LIV pro shoots front-nine 40 at Masters, withdraws with undisclosed illness

Tiger Woods famously opened with a front-nine 40 at the 1997 Masters before going on to win his first green jacket.

The same will not be true of Kevin Na this week at the 87th playing of the Masters.

After posting a 40 on the first nine holes on a cloudy Thursday morning at Augusta National, Na withdrew from the tournament with an undisclosed illness.

The LIV golfer and five-time PGA Tour winner was in the first group out playing alongside 2003 Masters winner Mike Weir. Na double-bogeyed the 1st hole, rebounded with a birdie at the 2nd but then bogeyed three of his next four holes. He did not speak to reporters after his withdrawal.

Na informed Weir that he was withdrawing on the 10th tee. “I’m not sure what’s happening,” Weir said after the round, “but he told me earlier he wasn’t feeling well.

“I think he just said, I’m done, and handed me his card and away he went.”

In his first two LIV Golf starts this year, Na has finished 20th and 8th. In his third — a week ago in Orlando — Na shot 72-66-69 to finish 23rd.

Na has five top-15 finishes in the Masters. A year ago he tied for 14th despite a third-round 79.

Greg Norman said that should a LIV player win this week, the 17 other LIV pros in the field would gather by the 18th green Sunday to greet the victor. Now, it seems, there’s at least one player from that group who will not join any would-be celebrations.