Following a week that has seen four positive Covid-19 tests (including two players) and precautious WDs, the PGA Tour is once again updating their testing protocols.
Previously, anyone “inside the bubble”
was allowed on property at the beginning of the week as they waited for their
test results, albeit with certain restrictions. But now the Tour will not allow
any player, caddie or anyone else inside the bubble on site without testing
negative for Covid-19 in market.
This protocol is the newest in a series of updates this week following several people testing positive for Covid-19. Other updated protocols include more testing throughout the week and harsher penalties for those who don’t adhere to Tour guidelines.
Cameron Champ was the first to test positive at the Travelers Championship when he took a test after arriving early in the week. The following day, a pair of caddies, Ken Comboy and Ricky Elliot tested positive, triggering WDs from their players, Graeme McDowell and Brooks Koepka. Denny McCarthy became the latest player to test positive after waking up “sore and achy” prior to his Round 2 tee time.
Jason Day also had a Covid-19 scare prior to Round 3. Day requested a test prior to his Saturday tee time, resulting in a solo tee time for the third round. The test ultimately came back negative.
“While we’ve been thorough in building and implementing a program that mitigates as much risk as possible, we knew it would be impossible to eliminate all risk,” commissioner Jay Monahan said earlier this week. “We need to use these developments as a stark reminder for everyone involved as we continue to learn from an operational standpoint.”
