PGA Tour gets back on tee box
THOMAS: A VERY DIFFERENT FEEL TO TEXAS TOURNAMENT
Justin Thomas says getting back into the swing of things on the PGA Tour after a threemonth break due to the coronavirus pandemic has a different feel to it.
It means daily temperature checks, filling out health questionnaires, knowing where the hand-sanitizing stations are and social distancing on the tee boxes.
The Charles Schwab Challenge will be full of firsts as the PGA Tour’s restart begins today in Texas with the 148-field teeing off at the Colonial Country Club.
“I would say 2020 is beyond a bizarre year so far, and especially in the world of sports it’s just going to be different,” said the former world No 1.
“If we all want to get back and play the game that we love we’re just going to have to get over the fact that it’s going to be different and be a little weird,” added Thomas.
World No 1 Rory McIlroy and second-ranked Jon Rahm of Spain lead a strong field that includes 15 of the world’s top 20 players.
World No 3 Brooks Koepka, defending champion Kevin Na, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson are also teeing up at the course in Fort Worth, Texas.
Some of the sport’s top players from outside of North America decided to skip the event because travelling to the US would mean a two-week quarantine, including 10th-ranked Englishman Tommy Fleetwood.
The biggest change, since the Tour was shut down in March at the Players Championship, is that organisers are not allowing any spectators this week.
The Tour is also going to leave open the 8.46 am tee time and instead have a one-minute moment of silence to mark the death of
George Floyd, who has become a symbol of racial injustice in America.
American Jordan Spieth said it is was important for the Tour to show its support for the US black community.
“I think it’s really cool. I think it’ll be something that hopefully we can kind of stick with as long we need to. It’s a nice thing to do with the way things have been,” Spieth said. One player who will be notably absent is Tiger Woods who has won 15 major championships and is chasing Jack Nicklaus (18) for the most in history.
Woods looked sharp in a recent exhibition match with Mickelson, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
After the Charles Schwab, the PGA Tour features the RBC Heritage (18-21 June) in South Carolina and the Travelers Championship (25-28 June) in Connecticut.