Former Masters champion Danny Willett out of 2021 Players Championship with COVID-19

The Auburn crew is going to need a third at TPC Sawgrass this week

Danny Willett has withdrawn from the 2021 Players Championship on Tuesday after testing positive for COVID-19. Willett, who won the 2016 Masters over Jordan Spieth and Lee Westwood, was slated to tee off on Thursday and Friday with former Auburn golfers Jason Dufner and Patton Kizzire.

Willett had made six straight cuts coming into this week -- including a T31 at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill -- but has just one top-10 finish since the start of 2020 (at last year's Rocket Mortgage Classic). He has never made the cut in five appearances at The Players Championship, and his Masters victory remains his only PGA Tour win.

What will be interesting now is what happens with last week's runner-up. Westwood's girlfriend (and caddie), Helen Storey, recently noted that they spent time with "Team Willett" after Westwood narrowly lost to Bryson DeChambeau at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week.

Kramer Hickok was first alternate and will replace Willett alongside Dufner and Kizzire. John Huh is next up on the alternate list should Westwood (or anyone) have to withdraw.