Sergio Garcia out of Masters 2020 after testing positive for Covid

2017 Masters champion forced to withdraw after returning positive Covid-19 test result

Sergio Garcia has been ruled out of The Masters after testing positive for coronavirus (Getty)

Sergio Garcia has withdrawn from The Masters after testing positive for coronavirus.

The Spaniard, who won the Green Jacket at Augusta National three years ago, was due to take part in this week’s delayed event, but he has confirmed to tournament organisers that he is now self-isolating after returning a positive test.

It will be the first time that the 2017 Masters champion has missed a major since the 1999 US Open, ending the longest active streak of consecutive major appearances. Only Sandy Lyle, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson have more consecutive appearances at The Masters heading into this weekend.

The 40-year-old participated in the Houston Open last week, but missed the cut and exited the tournament on Friday. However, after falling ill while travelling home from Memorial Park Golf Course, Garcia underwent a Covid-19 test that has returned positive.

Garcia confirmed that he is suffering from from mild symptoms

"On Saturday night after driving back from the Houston Open, I started feeling a bit of a sore throat and a cough,” Garcia said on his Twitter account.

"The symptoms stayed with me on Sunday morning so I decided to get tested for COVID-19 and so did my wife Angela. Thankfully she tested negative, but I didn't.

"After 21 years of not missing a Major Championship, I will sadly miss The Masters this week.

"The important thing is that my family and I are feeling good. We'll come back stronger and give the green jacket a go next April."

A statement from organisers read: “Sergio Garcia has informed Augusta National Golf Club that he will not participate in the 2020 Masters Tournament due to a positive Covid-19 test result.”

Although Garcia missed the cut in Houston, he had won his 11th PGA Tour title just last month at the Sanderson Farm Championship, and was offered at pre-tournament odds as high as 70/1 to win this year’s event, having endured two miserable years since his victory on which he missed the cut and set the record for the highest number of strokes on a hole with his infamous 13 on the 15th in the first round of his 2018 title defence.

Garcia’s withdrawal comes as the second player to pull out of the final major of the year due to coronavirus, with young Chilean Joaquin Neimann confirming a positive test over the weekend.

Angel Cabrera has also chosen not to play this weekend, though it is understood to have been a decision made unrelated to any positive test result.