Europe’s Ryder Cup captain is the latest to fail a COVID-19 test and being ruled out of this week’s PGA AT & T Pebble Beach Championship In California.

Harrington had been competing in last week’s Phoenix Open but sat out the weekend rounds after missing the cut and in his first showing on the TPC Scottsdale course in five years.

Then in travelling to the US West Coast for this week’s $7.3m PGA Tour event along the shores of the Pacific Ocean, the 49-year-old Irishman tested positive for the coronavirus following a mandatory pre-tournament test.

Harrington has contested the event many times before but this year, and adhering to strict California ‘social-distancing’ guidelines event organisers ruled-out amateurs competing in the event which has been normal since the inception of the event.

Padraig Harrington ruled out of Pebble Beach in failing Covid test

The PGA Tour confirmed Harrington testing positive saying in a Tweet:  “Harrington will have the PGA Tour’s full support throughout his self-isolation period under CDC guidelines.

“First alternate Sangmoon Bae will replace Harrington in the field.”

Harrington had commenced his new season competing the opening two rounds of last month’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in eventually finishing mid-field and then a fortnight ago he secured one of his best results in some time with a share of sixth in Dubai.

The result buoyed Harrington so much he headed to Phoenix declaring:  “What I need is a win.  I could do with a win. It’s a long trip from Dubai to the States but I just have to get my head around playing as I can see myself getting up there in contention for a win.”

Harrington missed the cut and now he finds himself having to go into self-isolation missing out on taking-up an invitation also into next week’s Genesis Invitational in suburban LA.