FORT WORTH, Texas – Asked how surreal life will be on the PGA Tour in the era of COVID-19, Justin Thomas spoke for the group: “I would say 2020 is beyond a bizarre year so far,” he shrugged and said with an edge of fatigue in his voice.
This week’s Charles Schwab Challenge is being positioned as a revival, a chance to embrace something that many hope will be normal-adjacent. And while players and caddies happily settled into a reimagined routine on Tuesday at Colonial, the gravity of the moment was ever present.
Golf isn’t the first major sport to venture out from quarantine – NASCAR has been racing for weeks and even the NBA has a back-to-work plan – but there is an unmistakable sense that the world is watching.
Over the last few weeks, the Tour has leaned into the notion that golf has a responsibility to get this right and set an example for how sports can move forward from a pandemic that halted play for 91 days.
“Every player out here, every person as a part of this organization should [feel a responsibility],” said Harold Varner III, before being distracted by this reporter’s appearance via teleconference. “I’m not saying I’m the best at it, it’s just how … do you have to have on that [PPE] mask as you talk to me? I didn’t know that.”
That player interviews are now conducted over video links, and the “bubble” the Tour has created around events, which excludes everyone except the players, caddies and a select few officials, doesn’t scratch the surface of how transformed the Tour has become.
For those who made the journey to Fort Worth, life post-hiatus began taking dramatic turns last week when the Tour began blanketing the traveling circus with testing requirements. From daily health questionnaires to COVID-19 tests, it was immediately evident that everything had changed.
“The main thing is, I told myself for two weeks I was going to stay as safe as possible. I won’t lie to you, I was kind of nervous waiting for the results of both [COVID-19 tests],” Ryan Palmer said. “I didn’t know if I have it or not. You can’t really tell. Those were some interesting moments waiting for those results.”
Clark: Taking at-home COVID-19 test is ‘right thing to do’
On Tuesday at Colonial, much looked the same. The tree-lined Perry Maxwell design, the statue of Ben Hogan towering over the 18th fairway, even the ubiquitous hot Texas wind was just the way the Tour left it last year when Kevin Na won. But the differences soon became obvious.
Before they even arrived at Colonial players and caddies were diverted to an off-site testing location, the nearby Dickies Arena, for a PCR nasal swab test.
“The needle up my nose is the craziest thing. Yeah, that was nuts,” Varner said, before adding, “I tested negative for COVID, so that’s a positive. I found that out while I was sitting here.”
On Colonial’s sprawling practice tee, which is ideal for social distancing, players engaged in an awkward standoff with equipment representatives, who are not included within the testing “bubble” and are required to interact with players only through a quarantine portal. For those accustomed to the ease of interaction, it was off-putting to the extreme. It’s also the cost of doing business in 2020.
Given the choice of playing Tour events with strict social distancing and testing guidelines vs. not playing at all, there is universal agreement – let us play.
If Tuesday’s practice rounds were any indication, there will be mistakes along the way. Social media is sure to unpack every forgetful high-five or random conversation that doesn’t include 6 feet of daylight between the participants.
The PGA Tour plans to observe a minute of silence, beginning with Thursday’s opening round at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Along with a healthy amount of anticipation, there was a palpable sense of the untraveled road at Colonial. There are sure to be plenty of first-tee encounters without the traditional handshake and odd moments when the right thing to do isn’t the familiar thing to do.
“What’ll be weird is when you stand on the tee boxes trying to separate yourself a bit from your competitors,” Jordan Spieth said. “Just normally when you’re on the tee box everyone is crunched up in the same area, so I think it’ll be a little bit unusual just trying to actually focus on social distancing on the tee because the rest of the hole it should be pretty easy.”
Some the lengths to which the Tour has gone this week to avoid even the appearance of indifference is excessive, but there really isn’t any other way. One positive coronavirus test would be uncomfortable; five would be a problem. A dozen – or more – positive tests would be catastrophic for the Tour and probably for sports.
Three months of exhaustive planning and hoping are on the line this week and there are no guarantees of a second chance anytime soon.
“I think we need this week to go off without a glitch. I mean, we need to make sure this week is great, not only for the world of sports but our Tour,” Palmer said. “If we come off this week and the fans get a great show and no [coronavirus] cases, I think it’s going to be a huge success for the Tour, for our fans, for the sporting world. We need live golf. America needs it. We need live sports.”
As a business, golf needs to get back to work. As a nation, we need live sports – but not at any costs. The margin of error has never been so thin, which is particularly concerning given the uncertainties of the coronavirus. If not a trailblazer, golf certainly finds itself on the pointy end of the pandemic spear and Colonial is where all the planning and preparation is put to the test.
For all the wrong reasons, the Charles Schwab Challenge is one of the game’s most significant tournaments. It’s an opportunity for golf to prove that sports can safely start again, and, as everyone on property is well aware, it’s a very real responsibility to get this right.
The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
