Tag: PGA Championship

The coronavirus is increasingly impacting sporting events around the world, and with good reason. As the World Health Organization officially categorized the COVID-19 virus as a pandemic on March 11, concerns about the continued spread of the virus revolve around situations where crowds of people come together.

Like at professional sports competitions.

After giving his State of the PGA Tour address on Tuesday, Commissioner Jay Monahan was peppered with questions about precautions and cancellations. So far, no PGA Tour events have been canceled (or crowds limited) because of the virus.

Most pressing for the golf community, perhaps, is the PGA Championship. The season’s second major is scheduled to take place May 14-17 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. On Wednesday, however, San Francisco mayor London Breed announced that the county is issuing a public health order that would prevent groups of 1,000 or more people from assembling in one space. It’s an order explicitly designed to limit the spread of the virus.

According to the L.A. Times, there are 157 confirmed virus cases in California and the number is expected to grow well beyond that in the coming days.

While acknowledging that the moratorium on large gatherings is disruptive, Breed expressed the importance on cutting down on opportunities for the virus to spread.

“For the general public, reducing the opportunity for exposure to the virus is the top priority, and by canceling events, we are improving the odds,” Dr. Grant Colfax, Director of Health for San Francisco, said in a statement.

The PGA of America, however, issued a statement on Tuesday addressing reports that the PGA Championship could potentially be moved from Harding Park, saying that wasn’t accurate. In spite of the San Francisco health order, the PGA reiterated its points a day later.

“At this time, no such discussions have taken place,” the statement read. “We continue to carefully monitor this rapidly evolving situation, in close coordination and communication with representatives from San Francisco. We will follow the guidance of state and city officials and public health authorities, keeping the safety and well-being of all involved as our highest priority.”

Monahan echoed that on Tuesday in Ponte Vedra Beach, addressing a theory that the PGA might move to TPC Sawgrass, home of the PGA Tour’s headquarters.

“There is no plan at this point in time for the PGA Championship to be held here,” he told media. “It’s going to be held at TPC Harding Park. But I would just pledge to you, as we’ve pledged to everybody else, that in all of our tournaments week to week that we’ve got to — we’ve really got to listen and respond to the real information that we’re receiving on the ground.”

The Players Championship will go on as planned this week and while Augusta National Golf Club issued a statement last week that officials were working with health organizations to monitor the virus, so far the Masters (plus the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals) remain on the calendar with no restrictions.

Many sporting events around the world – and now the country – are being postponed or outright canceled. This week, that has included an additional stop on the European Tour plus a women’s college golf tournament that was to be played in Mexico.

PGA Tour players are beginning to take notice of the potential threat, too.

Jon Rahm referenced his 85-year-old grandmother as well as family members who have respiratory diseases and might be at greater risk. That includes his wife Kelley who has asthma. He called it his duty to do everything he could to protect himself from contracting the virus.

“So this week, I love to fist pump and high five the kids, but it might be the one week where we don’t do it,” he said. “I love also to sign autographs, I might restrain from that a little bit, too. Not from being selfish reasons, I just feel like it might be the best thing for everybody.”

Rickie Fowler, often a fan favorite, was thinking the same thing about player-fan interaction. Even before the coronavirus outbreak, Fowler noticed that in his first years on Tour, high fives and fist bumps often led to illness.

“I’m more doing a wave or a thumbs up,” he said. “You just don’t know. I was already doing this before the coronavirus came up. I’m sure a lot of guys will be keeping their distance not because we’re trying to stay away from fans.

“Post-round it is a lot easier for me to control and sign and go into the locker room and wash my hands. Signing isn’t going to go away.”

Some sporting events have simply tried to eliminate the fan presence so contests can go on. It would certainly bring a different feel to the Tour.

When asked how surreal it would it be to play without any fans, Fowler said, “I’ve heard that was thrown around as a rare potential. It would go back to junior golf, amateur golf, some college golf days when it was only your family and friends out there. It would be a very different feel.”

Adam Schupak contributed reporting.