Zach Johnson withdraws from event in South Korea

Zach Johnson told The Des Moines Register on Monday he had withdrawn from this week’s Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea.(Photo: Jack Gruber, USA TODAY Sports)

Story Highlights

• Zach Johnson has withdrawn from the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea
• Johnson cited the political turmoil involving North Korea
• “I feel bad for the tournament. They were gracious and understanding”

Zach Johnson got plenty of advice and feedback before deciding to withdraw from this week’s Ballantine’s Championship in Icheon, South Korea.

“It was one of those things where the women in my life really didn’t feel like it was necessary for me to go,” Johnson, a 10-year PGA Tour veteran, told the Des Moines Register after withdrawing Monday.

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Women as in his wife, Kim, and his mother, Julie. Possibly his daughter, Abby Jane, even though she is just five months old.

“She’s probably happy, too,” said the Iowa native and Drake graduate.

The political turmoil in North Korea, and its threats of a nuclear attack on South Korea, is at the heart of Johnson’s decision. He said his management team had been in contact with the State Department on numerous occasions. Johnson also talked to people with knowledge of the situation in North Korea.

“They certainly didn’t persuade me not to play,” Johnson said. “If anything, it was probably the opposite. You can go there and you’ll be fine. But the posture and rhetoric that is taking place right now makes it not worth it. And it probably is just posture and rhetoric. However, I don’t want to take the chance.”

Dustin Johnson, Zach’s 2012 Ryder Cup teammate, also withdrew from the European Tour event on Monday.

“I feel bad for the tournament,” Johnson said of the European Tour event. “They were gracious and understanding. Hopefully it will work out in the future.”

Johnson will make a slight adjustment to his PGA Tour schedule because of his canceled trip. He will play in the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte May 2-5.

“The chances of me going over there and being perfectly OK are probably pretty darn good,” Johnson said. “I mean, very good. But getting stuck there with the schedule coming up, and what’s going on, is just not worth it right now.”

Rick Brown writes for The Des Moines Register^[2]. Follow him on Twitter @RickBrownDMR^[3].

References

1. ^{^} http://www.desmoinesregister.com/sports (www.desmoinesregister.com)
2. ^{^} http://www.desmoinesregister.com/ (www.desmoinesregister.com)
3. ^{^} http://twitter.com/RickBrownDMR (twitter.com)