Should a golfer test positive for the coronavirus during a tournament, the PGA Tour says under its new Health and Safety Plan, he is automatically disqualified.Â
Even 15-time major winners and the worldâs No. 1-ranked player.Â
One Tour veteran wonders what the reaction would be.
âAre you telling me that if Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy or another big name that drives our tour is leading entering Sunday, youâre going to DQ him if he tests positive?â the Tour veteran told the New York Post recently. âI dare you. Thereâll be a (bleeping) riot.ââ
Under the plan, in advance of the Tourâs return to play on June 11 in Fort Worth, Texas, golfers will be screened before tournaments; upon arrival with a questionnaire, thermal reading and nasal swab or saliva test; and daily with a questionnaire and thermal reading. Should a player test positive, that player is immediately escorted off site, withdrawn from the event, given a last-place payout and will have to quarantine a minimum of 10 days.Â
Perez wondered about a few other scenarios under the plan.Â
âLetâs say I leave Scottsdale (his home) and I donât have that virus and I get to Dallas and Iâve got it?ââ he told the Post. âThe Tourâs going to have a real problem with me if that happens. Letâs say a guy gets tested on Tuesday and he tests positive when he comes back on Thursday. Is he (disqualified)?â
Perez told the Post he plans to play the first event, the Charles Schwab Challenge. But he says the Tourâs return is too soon.Â
âI just canât believe that theyâre going to get 700 or 800 people back in an area together when really we donât know when the end of this thing is,ââ Perez said. âJust wait until we can do it safely. If weâve got to wait until September, then wait.ââ