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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The news came down at noon, and for Tyler White and Gabe Lewis, they realized immediately they had captured their only chance to attend the Players Championship for 2020.
“We’re glad we had tickets for today,” White said. “It’s crazy.”
One day after the NCAA excluded fans from its college basketball tournaments later this month, and after the NBA placed its season on hold entirely, crowds nonetheless arrived — while they could — for the golf tournament’s start at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
Those fans came, but after Thursday’s noon announcement from PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, they won’t be coming back for the weekend.
Monahan announced the remainder of the event will be held without spectators amid growing concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, which is driving professional sports leagues and schools to cancel or postpone competitions outright or, in the case of the Tour, to restrict attendance.
The fast-spreading virus has sickened more than 120,000 people around the world, killing more than 4,000, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called for “social distancing” in a bid to stem the further spread.
The Tour’s decision to close the final three rounds to crowds drew a broad range of reactions Thursday in the gallery. To some fans, the Tour’s decision was instantly slammed in terms like “ridiculous.”
Others were more supportive, like Ponte Vedra resident Greg Keller, who considered it a “tough call,” but “probably a wise decision.”
“I think it’s affecting everyone,” said Ponte Vedra resident Tracy Treace. “There’s an uncertainty about it. People are modifying their lifestyles to some extent but not wanting it to completely shut you down.”
For her, there’s even more reason for trying to stay safe. Along for the opening round was her son, John, an 8-year-old aspiring golfer watching the Players for the third year.
“We’re here today but we’re trying to keep a little distance and do the right thing,” Treace said.
Ivan Rodriguez brought his 4-year-old son Sebastian to the tournament, and said he had no misgivings. “This tournament is too important for the region,” said Rodriguez, a Ponte Vedra Beach resident.
Sebastian was rewarded for his trip to the Island Green. After Phil Mickelson parred the hole, he flipped his ball to Sebastian while walking to the 18th tee.
For the most part, the fans that arrived for Thursday’s early action before the news expressed few fears. Even some people in high-risk groups deemed the tournament worth the risk.
An 87-year-old Green Cove Springs resident who gave his name as Bob — he declined to provide his last name — watched the tournament alongside his nephew from Ohio.
“Even though you’ve got a big crowd, there’s plenty of room out here,” he said. “In a building, it would be different, even though I’ve never had the flu.”
He did say, however, that the virus had made him more vigilant about public restrooms.
“You can’t stop living,” he said. “There’s always something out there you can catch. Just look at the number of people who have died from regular flu.”
Palm Coast resident Kathy Driscoll, 70, attended the opening round along with friend Linda Barczak, 70. Six years ago, Driscoll said, the two took a 35-day cruise of Asia that included a stop in Wuhan, China, the city where the coronavirus outbreak initially took hold at the end of December 2019.
“I didn’t see any reason to cancel. We’ve got our hand sanitizers and we’re going to be careful. If the time comes when we need to stop doing things like this, I will,” Driscoll said. “It’s just not today.”
No face masks were evident in the galleries. But other signs of the times were.
Hand sanitizer at stations around the course. Elbow bumps instead of handshakes. Signs notifying fans that autograph sessions with players would be canceled for the remainder of the week.
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