Beginning with next week’s Pure Silk Championship at Kingsmill, LPGA players who are fully vaccinated no longer will be tested for COVID-19 by the tour, Golfweek has learned. An LPGA spokesperson confirmed the policy change and said that requirements will vary in some markets.
The PGA Tour stopped testing fully vaccinated players last month. A USGA spokesperson confirmed that at the upcoming U.S. Women’s Open, only those who have not been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 will be tested.
The LPGA recently returned from a strict two-week tour in Asia in which players, caddies and staff were tested multiple times. One caddie tested positive in Singapore and was transported to a local hospital for further testing, and his case ultimately was traced back to antibodies from a previous bout with COVID-19. The caddie went back to work the following week in Thailand.
The spokesperson confirmed that no player has tested positive for COVID-19 at an LPGA event in 2021.
The LPGA has prohibited dining in restaurants since returning to action in July 2020. That will soften somewhat next week when players will be allowed to dine outdoors only at fast food restaurants.