Our aces didn’t measure up
PGA have ‘work to do’
PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan admits they have ‘more work to do’ after players ignored social distancing measures in last week’s event in Texas.
The staging of the Charles Schwab Challenge ended a three-month Tour lockdown, with Daniel Berger emerging victorious at the first extra play-off hole on the Colonial course in Fort Worth.
The event was the first of four without spectators and while it was one of the strongest fields ever to take to the famed Ben Hogan layout, it clearly lacked crowd buzz.
The world’s best players were back playing the game they love and also, and as the PGA Tour would wish, seeking to set an example for all those amateurs watching around the world.
Indeed the Tour had issued a 37-page ‘Health & Safety’ guidelines booklet to every single player on all Tour’s coming under the PGA Tour’s umbrella.
But while Scottish golf fans have been conscious of practising social distancing and avoiding any form of bodily or flagstick contact since a return to golf on May 29, not so at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
There were clear breaches of the first two points under the ‘General Etiquette and Behaviour Expectations’ as outlined in the guidelines.
The first point is: ‘Always adhere to recommended social distancing guidelines’ while the second was: ‘No shaking hands and contact of any kind fist bumps/high fives)’.
But many caddies were seen handling the flagsticks with bare hands while others used a bag towel.
There was Branden Grace holing a birdie at his penultimate hole on day three and then the South African and his caddy fist-bumping in delight.
If there was one major ‘social distancing’ indiscretion for the world to witness it was on day four when Chilean Joaquin Niemann brilliantly holed a 142-yard second shot, also at the 17th, for an eagle two.
There was uncertainty he had holed out but when he got the confirmation Niemann turned to his caddy with both ‘high-fiving’ in delight.
The shot was shown live in the CBS ‘featured groups’ coverage but when the video clip of Niemann’s shot was posted on the PGA Tour’s Twitter page the ‘high five’ had been conveniently edited out.
Monahan is looking to set an example for all major US sports but admits there’s much for all those inside the ropes to do.
He said: “There is more work to be done but this is a phenomenal start to our return. There’s no question about it. It’s gone about as well as we could have hoped for. I’m proud of our team for that.”