MIAMI — Curaçao was dropped from the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Friday because of positive COVID tests and replaced by Guatemala.
Ranked 76th, Curaçao was to open Group A on Saturday against El Salvador in Frisco, Texas, then play Mexico on Wednesday in Dallas and Trinidad and Tobago on July 18 at Frisco.
“Ahead of the start of the Gold Cup group stage, all competing national teams went through several rounds of testing and, unfortunately, the Curaçao delegation returned a significant number of positive results across their staff and players in the last round of testing,” CONCACAF said in a statement. “Although several Curaçao players returned a negative test result, local state guidelines require several of them to isolate due to being close contacts of those who tested positive. In light of these circumstances, CONCACAF and the Curaçao Football Federation have mutually agreed that Curaçao will not participate in the Gold Cup.”
Guatemala, ranked 127th, lost its second round qualifier to Guadeloupe 10-9 on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw on Tuesday.
CONCACAF said Guatemala was the next highest-ranked team available from qualifying, where Guatemala defeated Guyana 4-0 in the first round.
Guatemala was scheduled to play its opener against El Salvador on Sunday in Frisco.
“CONCACAF and the Curacao Football Federation have made every effort to find a solution that would enable Curaçao to compete, however the health and safety of the Curaçao players and staff, and all participants in the tournament, must be prioritized,” CONCACAF said.
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Marathon Classic presented by Dana
Friday, July 9, 2021
Toledo, Ohio, USA
Mina Harigae
Quick Quotes
Q. All right, here with Mina Harigae. Mina, 36 holes bogey-free. We were just saying the last time you did it was on the last year as CME. How confident are you feeling after two rounds here?
MINA HARIGAE: I feel really confident, comfortable with all aspects of my game. Just everything just kind of feels solid and everything is kind of flowing together, so it feels really good.
Q. You started with that birdie on No. 10 because you played the back nine front, what did that do for the rest of the round getting you off to such a hot start like that?
MINA HARIGAE: I had that birdie on No. 10, my first hole of the day, and I kind of cooled off for — when was my next one? Until 17.
I had a couple good looks, but it wasn’t — didn’t like jump start me as I hoped it would, but it was still solid golf up until the next few birdies.
Q. The next few coming once you made the turn on 1. How much did that help propel you to the end of the round?
MINA HARIGAE: It definitely helped. It got me going. Maybe even a little more confidence in my irons, and especially my putts really. I made a good putt on No. 1, so then I was really comfortable with the lines we were picking.
Q. How much are you liking Highland Meadows?
MINA HARIGAE: I have — historically hasn’t been great to me, but this year I feel it’s like a whole new golf course to me. I’m a much better golfer now than I was before.
But, yeah, it honestly feels like I’m a new person and I really like this golf course now. I feel like it really fits my game.
Q. I was going to ask, when you say that you feel like a brand new person, it’s because of how you played since the restart of 2020?
MINA HARIGAE: Yeah, exactly. I started off well last year and had a — you know, I was able to get a few top 10s last year, couple top 10s this year already, so I’m just going to keep it rolling.
Q. How comfortable are you feeling in your game as of late? Especially the last couple weeks as we trudge on through the summer months?
MINA HARIGAE: It feels good. I think I took last week off and I think that did me really well. I rested and — I kind of rested. My fiancée and I played a lot of golf with his family, but I think that’s what I really needed. I needed to play a lot of free golf, I guess, just making as many birdies as I can on a golf course and get my flow out there.
Q. We talked about it yesterday, but now I have you on camera. Inverness Club is just a few miles down the road. How hungry are you for a Solheim opportunity this year?
MINA HARIGAE: You know, after going on that bonding trip with the other girls to Reynolds and hanging out with them Monday, it really — I mean, I really — it makes me really want to make the team.
I think that’s — it’s kind of fueling me this week. It’s like, well, you know what? I’m really ready to play.
Q. What was that bonding experience like for you?
MINA HARIGAE: It was great. It’s something that I don’t usually do. I’m always kind of doing my own thing. I really like to just chill out.
But it was so much fun getting to know all the girls, and we’re all different, so it was a really good fun time. We got to do all sorts of activities.
It was just really great trip.
Q. Have you talked with Pat in the last couple days?
MINA HARIGAE: I saw her yesterday after the round, but haven’t seen her today. Yeah, Pat is great. Going to be a lot of the fun.
Q. Yeah. And I think at the same time, you’re really showing your stuff. How motivating is that, especially with this weekend coming up and you right there in the final grouping?
MINA HARIGAE: Yeah, it’s really motivating, and I think if I just keep doing the same thing as the last couple days, I think that’ll be all right.
Q. Kay asked on Golf Channel, but do you remember the last time you were in a final grouping on tour?
MINA HARIGAE: I don’t think I have been. The closest maybe was like second to last group. But then again, I have been playing well the last year and a half, kind of around in contention, so I think I’ll be prepared for this weekend.
Q. How satisfying is it knowing the Mina three years ago and the Mina now here at Marathon Classic?
MINA HARIGAE: It’s crazy. (Laughter.) Like I said, I’m so much of a better golfer now. I can’t even — yeah, I don’t even know how to explain it. Yeah, I’m like a whole new person.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
109966-1-1041 2021-07-09 23:23:00 GMT
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