HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Friday’s second round of the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links began under brilliant sunshine.
It ended under a dark cloud.
A stout leaderboard was taking shape under clear skies with Webb Simpson, Bryson DeChambeau and Cory Conners leading the way and Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Ian Poulter charging. But shortly after the afternoon wave of players began their rounds, word started spreading throughout the course that a PGA Tour player had tested positive for the coronavirus.
At 3:45 p.m. ET, the PGA Tour confirmed that Nick Watney had tested positive for the virus on Friday.
And then an early evening storm rolled in from the sea to delay play for two hours.
In a matter of hours, the PGA Tour’s celebrated return after a lengthy break due to COVID-19 took on a whole new feel. An uneasy feel.
The PGA Tour quickly begun implementing its response plan in consultation with medical experts, including contact tracing. Thus, Watney’s caddie, Tony Navarro, and his playing partners from the first round, Luke List and Vaughn Taylor, as well as their caddies, will be tested.
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Watney, 39, who tested negative for the coronavirus on Tuesday when he arrived in the Lowcountry, felt symptoms Friday morning and consulted with a physician, who administered another COVID-19 test. When he was told he tested positive, Watney began to self-isolate for at least 10 days before having to take another test.
But before he got the result and went into quarantine, he went to the golf course in anticipation of playing the second round starting at 12:21 p.m. ET. He had a chat with Rory McIlroy – at a distance – on the putting green and then went to the range. It’s unclear if the PGA Tour will make those Watney came into close contact with outside of his playing group from the first round take another COVID-19 test.
As well, the PGA Tour might want to rethink its protocol that allowed Watney to go to the course before knowing the result of the COVID-19 test. Now that the first positive test has arrived, we’ll see where the PGA Tour goes from here.
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“It’s a shame,” Poulter said. “Obviously, this is why the protocols are in place, and this is why we’re doing all the testing as soon as anyone gets to a venue. I think it’s been exemplary so far, and to have as many people tested in the first two weeks on the PGA Tour, and obviously, Nick to feel slightly unwell today, shows how good a job everyone has done so far.
“It’s inevitable it’s going to happen, and obviously, it has happened today.”
Before the first round of the RBC Heritage, 957 tests had been administered over two weeks to players, caddies and essential personnel. There were zero positives. And then Watney got tested for a third time.
“First of all, hopefully Nick’s doing well and recovering,” said Jordan Spieth, who was involved in extensive meetings with PGA Tour officials, other players, infectious disease experts and local and state health officials that set up an exhaustive plan to create a safety and health “bubble” to reduce the risk of the virus. The plan includes layers of regular testing, questionnaires, reduced numbers on the golf course, social distancing, chartered planes, contact tracing, etc.
“The whole plan put in place was, not if, but when somebody tests positive, what’s the protocol, and what are the next steps?” Spieth said. “So I feel confident, just in being on those phone calls, in what the PGA Tour’s going to do going forward here, and hopefully contact tracing doesn’t lead to anybody else testing positive within the bubble.
“South Carolina’s open. If you go anywhere to a restaurant, there’s a lot of people there right now. So I guess that’s probably, best case, is that he got it on his own outside. But, yeah, again, it was not an if scenario. You’ve got to plan for it to happen, and hopefully it’s very much contained.”
A rainbow lit up the sky late in the day – a good omen? And when nightfall arrived, Simpson had the lead by one over DeChambeau and Conners. Ryan Palmer was two back, Koepka and Poulter in a group three back. Dustin Johnson and Tony Finau were in a group four back. World Golf Hall of Fame members Ernie Els (four back) and Bernhard Langer made the cut.
All were hoping Saturday brings the sun. And good news on the Watney and COVID-19 front.
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