Wilkinson’s Covid-19 scare
Kiwi golfer fears he and family may have been infected with coronavirus in the US
Kiwi golfer Tim Wilkinson believes he and his family may have been infected with Covid-19. Upon his upcoming return to the course, the Florida-based golfer revealed his parents, wife and daughter fell ill with flu-like symptoms earlier this year.
He had done an antibody test in hopes of revealing whether it was Covid-19.
“My parents were over earlier this year and they were both pretty sick when they were here. My daughter was really sick and [my wife] Maddie had flu-like symptoms,” he said.
“She went to get tested and didn’t have strep throat or the flu so we’re just interested to see.
“I know [antibody tests] are not super accurate but it will be interesting to see potentially if I’ve had the virus or not.”
A positive test confirming
Wilkinson has already contracted and recovered from the virus could come as a relief when he returns to action in the US next month.
The Manawatu left-hander has all but written off getting a start in the opening three tournaments of the PGA Tour season. The Tour resumes in front of no fans early next month in Texas with the Colonial tournament followed by events in South Carolina and Connecticut.
But Wilkinson will instead play two second-tier Korn Ferry Tour events near his base in Florida, before returning to the PGA Tour in early July.
Wife Maddie is set to join him as his caddie and it’s not the first time she has been on the bag.
“She’s caddied for me in two of the three US Opens I’ve qualified for and then the year before when I qualified for the Sanderson Farms,” he said.
“It makes sense for both Maddie and I that she can caddie for me in the first couple of events. We’re living together so if one of us has got [Covid-19], the other person has got it.”
Wilkinson started solidly in his first 10 PGA Tour events this season, making six cuts and claiming three top-25 finishes. However, he has yet to record a top-20, leaving him in a perilous 135th on the FedEx Cup rankings. Despite having had to spend most of his time at home over the past two months, he said he’s made improvements which should help next month.
“I haven’t really been to a golf course until Monday this week, so getting back into it, but I’ve been practising at home a lot,” he said.
“My game actually feels pretty good, I’ve been working on getting faster in my swing speed and picked up a little bit of speed in the last two and a half months and the few times I’ve played, I’ve played really well so hopefully I can maintain that form and get better.”