I can’t fathom what is the rush to get players back who are not needed to sell tickets—the events are fan free—or to risk what is increasingly looking like the one sport that will carry on in America. And yet…
Bob Harig reports on the PGA Tour allowing players to play and intermingle with their peers within 24 hours of not having a fever, even if they continue to test positive for COVID-19.
They also will be allowed to use the clubhouse and locker room and will not be separated with special tee times, as has been the case in recent weeks. The policy goes into effect at this week's WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and the Barracuda Championship.
The special COVID-19 theme groupings were a brutal but a necessary precaution. Yet as with having an indoor gym each week, the idea of letting positive players roam freely indoors boggles the rational mind given what we now know about COVID-19 spread.
Reminder time!
Things are going well. The health and safety of golfers is in a very good place. A small number of golfers and caddies have tested positive and thankfully, as far as we know, there have been no major illnesses. Amazing.
Furthermore, the sport is seen as a safe activity played by clean living Human-Americans (mostly), even as the virus continues its spread (though mercifully, two days in a row with under 60,000 new U.S. cases, but still awful numbers and tough days ahead for hospitals).
And yet the PGA Tour, based in the new epicenter that is Florida, has decided now is the time to soften guidelines?
Why?
To ensure playing opportunities? To keep from having to give Tony Romo or Club Pro Guy a sponsor’s invite after culling the late 90’s winners list and finding no Wyndham takers, as appears the case at this week’s Barracuda?
Nuts.
PS - New York, home to this year’s September U.S. Open, is not exactly softening its stance on visitors.