Francesco Molinari, Padraig Harrington withdraw from PGA Championship

SAN FRANCISCO – Francesco Molinari and Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington have withdrawn from the PGA Championship next week at TPC Harding Park, costing the first major of the year a pair of past major champions.

Neither gave a reason, and both major champions have not played since the COVID-19 pandemic led to golf being shut down for three months. Molinari is in the process of moving to California.

They were replaced by Troy Merritt and Talor Gooch.

The withdrawal of Molinari, the 2018 Open champion who is No. 33 in the world, means the PGA Championship will have only 95 of the top 100 in the world. Lee Westwood, Shugo Imahira, Thomas Pieters and Eddie Pepperell previously chose not to play.

Harrington won the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills in 2008, and he won the British Open in 2007 and 2008.