Matt Kuchar won’t be playing in the WM Phoenix Open this week after all.
The longtime PGA Tour golfer withdrew from the event on Tuesday after his father, Peter, “passed away unexpectedly.” Peter was 73.
“My Pop was a huge fan of sport and passed on his love of competition to me,” Matt Kuchar said in a . “He was a wonderful person — an incredible grandfather, a loving husband and best friend to my mother, and the best father I could have ever hoped for. An avid pickleball player and outdoorsman, Pop was a man of great character and a character in his own right.
“He is the person that introduced me to the game of golf, a tie that will always remain between us. Those memories, and so many more, will be with me and our family forever. He will be missed more than words can express. We appreciate the support and privacy while we grieve as a family.”
Further specifics on his death are not yet known. Jesper Svensson took his place in the field at TPC Scottsdale.
Peter has been by Matt’s side throughout his career. He was on the bag for his son when he won the 1997 U.S. Amateur, and he then played with Matt during their T9 finish at the PNC Championship in 2018. Peter was frequently spotted following along in the galleries during Matt’s Tour appearances.
Matt has won nine times on the PGA Tour in his career, most recently at the 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii. He had just one top-10 finish on Tour last season, a T3 run at the 3M Open, and he’s made two starts so far this season. Matt has played on four Ryder cup teams with the United States, and he’s served as a vice-captain for the U.S. team multiple times since.
It’s unclear when Matt will return to the Tour. After the WM Phoenix Open this week, the Tour will wrap up its west coast swing with the relocated Genesis Invitational next week in San Diego and then the Mexico Championship the following week in Puerto Vallarta.
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