With the pandemic continuing to press on, the PGA TOUR management feels it has a major role to play to ensure the safety of the players, staff, and several individuals during the highly anticipated return of pro golf. With this in mind, The PGA TOUR took extra caution by outlining a 37 page document which was sent to every TOUR participant on Tuesday, May 12.
PGA TOUR releases detailed COVID-19 document
The document contains a detailed testing and screening plan that every player is to undergo when they arrive at Fort Worth, Texas, on June 8. The piece took two months to be crafted by the TOUR management, medical experts from Harvard Medical School, and laboratory experts involved with the U.S Federal Coronovirus Task Force.
TOUR will not commence if everyone involved is not safe
In an interview with Tyler Dennis, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President and Chief of Operation he said: “We’re not going to play if we can’t do it in a safe and healthy environmental for all our constituents,” He continued, “We’re excited about how the PGA Tour can play a role in the world’s return to enjoying things we love,” Dennis said.
As comprehensive and careful the plan might seem, The Vice President of Tournament Administration mentioned that the TOUR will not hold if it’s not in a safe and healthy environment. He emphasizes that the height of it all is to maintain social distance. He said, “Social distance is something we’re all quite accustomed to in our personal lives now”. Dennis mentioned that gestures such as post-round handshakes and high-fives have been banned and this includes player carrying their golf bags instead of the caddie.
Players & other officials will be tested on arrival at tournaments
In addition to the social-distancing ethics, Players, caddies and other officials will be tested upon arrival at the tournament. Part of this exercise will be answering questions, thermal temperature reading check and also using a nasal swab rest which diagnosis COVID-19. Result of tests are expected within 24 to 48hours. In the event of a positive test, the individual will have to be isolated for a minimum of 10 days.
The TOUR officials also made it clear that spectators will not be allowed in the TOUR’s first four events when play kicks off. An extension is that players’ families will not be permitted on site and golfers will be limited to only an instructor, coach or interpreter. There will be no one-on-one interviews and all media sessions must adhere to the social-distance ethics.
Personal protection will be available at TOUR events
Personal protection equipment which includes a face mask, disinfectants, hand sanitizers will be made available in all property where the TOUR plays.
“It’s important for us to mitigate the risk wherever we can, and we also have an obligation to the communities in which we’re playing, an obligation to the people who are going to be watching us in our broadcast, and that is to set a good example, and we believe we can do that with the plan we’ve set forth,” Levinson said.
