Ex-champion Na withdraws after 12 holes because of illness

Kevin Na wasn’t feeling well when the week started. And things apparently went from bad to worse for the Las Vegas resident and 2011 Shriners Hospitals for Children champion.

Na played the front nine at par 35 Thursday in the first round at TPC Summerlin. But he had three straight bogeys to start his back nine and told officials he was too ill to continue. He left the course after 12 holes at 3 over par.

There was no further comment from Na or the PGA Tour regarding his health.

Na was concerned about soreness in his right wrist and forearm while practicing Monday and received treatment. Apparently, that was not a factor in his decision to pull out Thursday in what was his first event of 2014-15.

Na was the second player to withdraw during Thursday’s round. Jason Gore was 4 over after six holes when he pulled out because of an ankle injury.

ANDRES’ ACE — It didn’t take long for the tournament to produce a hole-in-one. Argentina’s Andres Romero aced the par-3 No. 17 as part of a 4-under round of 67.

“I wasn’t sure it was going to get there,” Romero said of his tee shot, a 7-iron on the 203-yard hole. “I hit it pretty hard with a draw, and when it came off the club face, I knew I had hit it perfectly. As soon as it hit the green, I heard the crowd starting to applaud, and I knew it was on the right line and it followed that line and trickled in.”

Last year, Romero shot 10-under 61 in the first round, then imploded with an 81 in the second round and missed the cut.

Because of the hole-in-one, Shirley Cartwright of Greenfield, Ohio, will have her mortgage paid for a year as part of a national contest promotion between the PGA Tour and Quicken Loans.

LYLE’S STRONG EFFORT — Jarrod Lyle, the 33-year-old cancer survivor from Australia, is on pace to make the cut after shooting 66.

“I got off to a bit of a shaky start, but I rolled in some putts and just kept myself out of trouble,” said Lyle, tied for fourth place.

Lyle, whose bout with leukemia in 2012 kept him away from the PGA Tour for 2½ years, said it’s almost like starting over.

“I feel like I’m a rookie again,” he said. “I feel like I’m coming out and seeing these guys for the first time after watching them on TV, which is what I’ve done for the last two years. I was lying flat on my back, so it’s nice to be out walking and playing golf and making birdies again.”

LOCALS ROUNDUP — Former Bonanza High School star Scott Piercy had the best round among players with Southern Nevada ties, shooting 67.

Nick Watney of Henderson and former UNLV player Bill Lunde each shot 68. Former Rebels Derek Ernst and Andres Gonzales each shot 70.

Three other former Rebels shot in the 70s — Ryan Moore 71, Chad Campbell 74 and Charley Hoffman 76.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.