LPGA commissioner Mike Whan said that there are making all necessary efforts to build a safety net for his tour’s re-start in mid-July, and he believes that testing for COVID-19 could be in large supply before the ending of May.
By the end of May Mike Whan expects more testing availability
He wants to make sure that everyone on the team, his staffs and the communities they are visiting feel good about testing measures, alongside a global roster of players coming their way.
LPGA commissioner Mike Whan believes testing for COVID-19 could be in large supply by the end of May, but he’s building a safety net by pushing back his tour’s re-start another month to mid-July.
With the push back of events Whan believes it will be safer
Whan said in a conference call on Wednesday ”I think we’ve bought ourselves a month’s worth of safety and probably sanity, in terms of availability,”
He also stated that testing was not going to be the only factor to decide if there are to move the schedule to another month because they don’t know where the LPGA will rank regarding testing supplies. So that was the reason while he had open dates to allow him easily move his June events.
“I think we’re taking ourselves out of test crisis mode,” Whan said.
Thirteen out of 21 events will be rescheduled
Whan announced Wednesday that 21 events, 13 of them rescheduled from their original dates, are to be held in the second half of the year, including all five major championships.
Whan said resources are a factor in when the PGA Tour and other sports leagues plan to re-open, as are the sites they plan to visit.
“If you ask me would I be excited if the PGA Tour got started a month before we did, I probably would, because I do think we’d learn a lot from them,” Whan said. “If the NBA starts up weeks before the LPGA starts up, I’ll take my share of abuse, for ‘Why were you guys so slow?’ But this is one where I don’t mind learning from other people that might be smarter than me, who might have more resources, to make sure that our plan, if it could be bolstered, is bolstered.”
Each tournament viability will be evaluated 45 days ahead of its planned start, that includes whether spectators will be allowed and whether pro-arms will take place said, commissioner Whan.
Also Read: The LPGA Tour Events Rescheduled
