Aberdeen doctor has key role in European Tour’s £2m health strategy for golf ’s return

A Scottish doctor has been hailed by European Tour chief Keith Pelley for drawing up the £2 million-plus health strategy that aims to get the circuit back up and running.

Dr Andrew Murray, an Aberdonian, has been the circuit’s chief medical officer for more than eight years and has now found himself as one of Pelley’s key advisors as he plots the tour’s return.

Murray has worked with the Scottishgovernment,promoting

physical activity, and Pelley revealed he’s been leaning on him in the quest to deliver a robust health strategy for golf.

“Dr Murray has become an integral part of my executive leadership team,” said Pelley as he outlined a six-event UK Swing in July and August.

“We are incredibly fortunate to be guided by him and his past experience in working for the government – specifically in the area of public health – has been invaluable.

“One of the key components ofourdiscussionswiththegovernmenthasbeenourcomprehensivemedicalhealthstrategy, which alone will cost us for all three tours well north of £2m, but it is absolutely essential.”

Before travelling to the UK to play, golfers will be required to have had an antigen test and will undergo a second – a “gold standard” one in this instance – when they arrive.

They will then be tested on a daily basis for Covid-19 as part of a rigorous process to be implemented by a team led by Murray, who once ran seven ultramarathons on seven continents in seven days to promote the value of exercise.

Murray said: “Keith and his team have consistently put the health and safety of our players and staff, and those in the countries we play, at the forefront of the many discussions we have had over the past few months.

“What we’ve done is we’ve utilised robust risk assessment processes from the World Health Organisation, and each national government. We are putting in place measures based on international best practice. These include social distancing, enhanced hygiene, increased medical capacity and testing. The measures mean that our players are at a much lower risk of having the virus and of running into issues than other travellers.”

In order to keep the risk as

low as possible, the number of people on site at the venues will not exceed 500 at any one time.

While the tournaments in England and Wales will be behind closed doors, it remains to be seen if that will also be the case in October for

DR ANDREW MURRAY

“We are looking to work out what the benefits of people being on site are”

the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open and the BMW PGA Championship.

“On the spectator thing, we absolutely recognise the regulations in the many countries

we play all across the world but what the governments also recognise is the benefits of golf and the benefits of people coming to our golf tournaments,” observed Murray.

“We know that physical inactivity is responsible for more than three million deaths worldwide.

“We know that walking can provide physical mental and social health benefits, with people coming to our tournaments last year and taking on average 11,500 steps.

“So certainly while our numbers are restricted at present, we are looking to work out what the benefits of people being on site are, what the potential downsides are, and then have sensible dialogue with governments.”