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April 6 (UPI) -- Kevin Na, one of 18 LIV Golf Series competitors in the field for the 2023 Masters, withdrew from the tournament Thursday morning because of an illness, the PGA Tour announced. Na carded a 4-over par 40 through the first nine holes of his opening round. He started the tournament with a double bogey on No. 1. Na birdied Nos. 2 and 8, but carded additional bogeys on Nos. 3, 5, 6 and 9.
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The No. 96 player in the Official World Golf Ranking teed off alongside No. 3,343 Mike Weir at 8 a.m. EDT in the first group. Weir was even par through 14 holes.
Na tied for 14th at the 2022 Masters. He finished tied for 12th three times for his best finishes at the major tournament. Na placed seventh at the 2016 U.S. Open for his best finish at a major. He also tied for 10th at the 2011 PGA Championship.
Na tied for 11th in the Par 3 contest Wednesday at Augusta. Tom Hoge, who fired a hole-in-one, fired a 6-under-par 21 to win that event.
Na's last win on the PGA tour was at the 2021 Sony Open. He resigned from the tour in June to join LIV Golf.
Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott and Cameron Young were tied for the lead at 2-under par, with each on the front-nine, Thursday morning at the Masters.
Ten more players were 1-under early on at Augusta.
