Hours before the PGA Tour deemed coronavirus a sufficient threat to shunt its season into cold storage for three months, the front of the Sawgrass clubhouse provided a typical picture of serenity – until the arrival of Dustin Johnson. En route to the locker room, without so much as raising an eyelid, the former world No 1 spat directly into decorative hedging between myself, a player manager of my acquaintance and the footpath. As we shook heads, Johnson continued on his merry way.
Until Friday, Johnson’s disgusting propensity to yack all over courses – including greens – in the middle of a pandemic was arguably the biggest negative associated with the PGA Tour’s resumption.
Certain other matters did not look very smart – players and caddies fist bumping at the end of rounds, say – but the sense that could golf lead the United States into a Covid-free place was allowed to rise. News of Nick Watney’s positive test at the RBC Heritage in South Carolina stopped the happy clappers in their tracks. It’s real world stuff now.
That someone involved in the PGA Tour’s resumption would test positive for coronavirus was perhaps, on the law of averages alone, inevitable. It took until day two of tournament two.
“By the end of the year, there’s going to be 200,000 deaths in the US alone from Covid-19,’ said Rory McIlroy. “To think that on the PGA Tour, none of us were going to get it … I don’t think anyone thought that. I think the consensus was someone is going to get it at some point.”
McIlroy’s analysis is fair. It is a harsh reality that while Watney and his family face an anxious spell, focus elsewhere shifts towards the Tour’s response. Before it does, though, we are entitled to raise questions about events around the 39-year-old’s positive test.
To be fair to the PGA Tour, it switched approach from one where a positive Covid-19 test result would not be disclosed due to medical confidentiality restrictions. However, a bulletin confirming Watney’s status was soon cause for intrigue. “On Friday, prior to arriving at the tournament, he indicated he had symptoms consistent with the illness and after consulting with a physician, was administered a test and found to be positive,” said the Tour.
On completion of his second round, McIlroy said he was talking to Watney on the putting green before play. Watney felt suitably bad about the situation to send a message to the world No 1 after the bad news was confirmed. Brooks Koepka revealed he was “right next to” Watney “in the parking lot”. So, having indicated symptoms – the reddest of flags – not only did Watney see fit to travel to the tournament site but nobody in officialdom directed him against such a move. It is an astounding chain of events.
Equally baffling was the approach taken towards Luke List and Vaughn Taylor, Watney’s playing partners for the opening rounds. After starting out on day two seemingly none the wiser about Watney’s withdrawal, they were informed after nine holes of the true picture. “Heart started racing, got a little nervous,” said Taylor. No wonder. What purpose this mid-round intervention was supposed to serve is anyone’s guess.
Generally, competitors have lauded the Tour’s approach. Ian Poulter branded it exemplary. Jordan Spieth, though, unwittingly pointed towards one of many underlying problems. “South Carolina’s open,” said Spieth. “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.”
If the PGA Tour were operating a bubble in the truest sense, Watney would not be allowed anywhere near a public restaurant. If the PGA Tour were operating a bubble in the truest sense, on-site media wouldn’t be left to find their own hotels. And if the PGA Tour were operating a bubble in the truest sense, accommodation options for players and caddies wouldn’t only be “strongly recommended” as per paperwork issued last month.
Until Friday, Johnson’s disgusting propensity to yack all over courses – including greens – in the middle of a pandemic was arguably the biggest negative associated with the PGA Tour’s resumption.
Certain other matters did not look very smart – players and caddies fist bumping at the end of rounds, say – but the sense that could golf lead the United States into a Covid-free place was allowed to rise. News of Nick Watney’s positive test at the RBC Heritage in South Carolina stopped the happy clappers in their tracks. It’s real world stuff now.That someone involved in the PGA Tour’s resumption would test positive for coronavirus was perhaps, on the law of averages alone, inevitable. It took until day two of tournament two.
“By the end of the year, there’s going to be 200,000 deaths in the US alone from Covid-19,’ said Rory McIlroy. “To think that on the PGA Tour, none of us were going to get it … I don’t think anyone thought that. I think the consensus was someone is going to get it at some point.”
McIlroy’s analysis is fair. It is a harsh reality that while Watney and his family face an anxious spell, focus elsewhere shifts towards the Tour’s response. Before it does, though, we are entitled to raise questions about events around the 39-year-old’s positive test.
To be fair to the PGA Tour, it switched approach from one where a positive Covid-19 test result would not be disclosed due to medical confidentiality restrictions. However, a bulletin confirming Watney’s status was soon cause for intrigue. “On Friday, prior to arriving at the tournament, he indicated he had symptoms consistent with the illness and after consulting with a physician, was administered a test and found to be positive,” said the Tour.
On completion of his second round, McIlroy said he was talking to Watney on the putting green before play. Watney felt suitably bad about the situation to send a message to the world No 1 after the bad news was confirmed. Brooks Koepka revealed he was “right next to” Watney “in the parking lot”. So, having indicated symptoms – the reddest of flags – not only did Watney see fit to travel to the tournament site but nobody in officialdom directed him against such a move. It is an astounding chain of events.
Equally baffling was the approach taken towards Luke List and Vaughn Taylor, Watney’s playing partners for the opening rounds. After starting out on day two seemingly none the wiser about Watney’s withdrawal, they were informed after nine holes of the true picture. “Heart started racing, got a little nervous,” said Taylor. No wonder. What purpose this mid-round intervention was supposed to serve is anyone’s guess.
Generally, competitors have lauded the Tour’s approach. Ian Poulter branded it exemplary. Jordan Spieth, though, unwittingly pointed towards one of many underlying problems. “South Carolina’s open,” said Spieth. “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.”
If the PGA Tour were operating a bubble in the truest sense, Watney would not be allowed anywhere near a public restaurant. If the PGA Tour were operating a bubble in the truest sense, on-site media wouldn’t be left to find their own hotels. And if the PGA Tour were operating a bubble in the truest sense, accommodation options for players and caddies wouldn’t only be “strongly recommended” as per paperwork issued last month.
