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The PGA Tour is back, and if you watched the broadcast this weekend, it might not have looked all that different from a “regular” tour stop with fans on-site.
Many of the pros who played the Charles Schwab Challenge found out there were pros and cons to playing without spectators on site. Sure it was quiet, but then again, it’s been a long time since many of these men played competitive golf. In other words, take it where you can get it.
“It kind of felt like being at home playing with the guys, in a big-money game, obviously, a lot more on the line. But just really excited to be playing great golf,” said tournament champion Daniel Berger. “It was a little different without fans, but it didn’t feel like it wasn’t a PGA Tour event. You still felt that pressure. You still felt like there was so much on the line.”
Before the tournament, many wondered if it would still feel the same to drain a big putt on the final hole if no one is there to cheer. That became a reality for the players.
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“Making a putt on the 18th hole to tie the lead and not hearing any roars is a little bit different,” Berger said.
Here’s what others had to say about the experience:
Nick Faldo
“The emotional thing of you working with your caddie and to keep you motivated, to keep the right amount of intensity going, the right amount of concentration going,” Sir Nick Faldo said on Golf Channel after the round. “It must be a weird feeling. … many of them were referencing, ‘Hey, it’s like amateur days.’ It’s not that long ago for quite a few of them.”
Collin Morikawa
“It was crazy different. I think fans bring so much of an energy, so much more excitement to the game, and that’s why we love it. I think hopefully they loved it on TV. Obviously we’re going to miss them for the first few events. But it’s not crazy different from what I had in college about a year ago. You’ve got a few people out here watching, and other than that, you’re just out there playing golf trying to win a tournament. To not have fans was kind of reminiscent of what I had about a year ago, but I do miss them kind of lining everything because it brings a different energy, brings a different focus to everything.”
Bubba Watson
“Obviously as, I’ll call myself an athlete, we know we’re playing for fans on TV, but man, it’s just the roars, the electricity. Even if you’re playing terrible, to hear other roars, it gets you excited, so that’s what we miss. It makes it weird, I guess, because even when I made a couple putts, you just don’t even wave, you don’t even high-five. It’s just a weird feeling, which we all love trying to challenge ourselves under pressure in front of the fans, and not having that makes it a little weird. But it was a great week, I believe, especially the first week back.”
Keegan Bradley
“It was definitely a little strange, but it was kind of nice. We were able to – it was kind of like playing in a junior tournament. We could walk freely around the grounds, walk from the range and kind of just go to work, and it was kind of nice.”
Jason Kokrak
“It was very strange without fans. You know, not as much energy on the weekend. Coming up 16, 17, 18, obviously there’s a few stands that people have put in their back yards and that’s kind of fun for us. But very different without fans. I think it’s more enjoyable with fans. I like playing in front of people. But definitely a change of pace for us. I hope the fans come back, but I definitely want the PGA Tour to be as safe as possible, and safety is a top priority.”
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