First Positive Test: Players Express Surprise At Lax Hilton Head Scene, Veterans Hope It's A Wake-Up Call

Come to Hilton Head Island and act like it never happened!

Or something like that, at least if you go by post-round comments at the RBC Heritage where players wondered if Nick Watney was an unlucky victim of a lax distancing and mask scene.

Justin Thomas was probably the most blunt about the scene, as Joel Beall reports for GolfDigest.com.

"Yeah, obviously, I was bummed [about Watney]. I don't want to—it's a shame because ... we have done such a great job these first two weeks,” Thomas said. “I mean, no offense to Hilton Head, but they're seeming to not take it very seriously. It's an absolute zoo around here. There's people everywhere. The beaches are absolutely packed. Every restaurant, from what I've seen when I've been driving by, is absolutely crowded. So I would say it's no coincidence that there's got to be a lot of stuff going on around here.

“Unfortunately, that's not on Nick because I know he's very cautious and has done everything he can, but I would say a lot of people in this area of Hilton Head just aren't.”

And this from Thomas and then Carlos Ortiz, who is one stroke out of the leading heading into the final round:

Carlos Ortiz on eating out earlier this week: "It was here by the lighthouse right here in the marina. It was way -- it's a 30-minute wait, and once you get in there, there's no social distancing, packed tables right by each other, kids running around."

— Stephen Fastenau (@IPBG_Stephen) June 20, 2020

AP’s Doug Ferguson filed a lengthy missive on the various post-positive test mood and shared this from Vaughn Taylor and Brooks Koepka. Taylor, the first round playing partner of Watney and Koepka, world no. 2 golfer.

''It's eye-opening to see how much the virus is out there and how careful we have to be,'' Taylor said. ''I felt like coming in the last week everyone was super careful, and then we got here, and the vibe on the island is a little more relaxed. I feel like we might have gotten a little more relaxed, too. Everyone has kind of ratcheted it up a little bit. Not hanging out with too many people, hanging with too many guys, stay out of restaurants and bars and those things.

''I think if we do that, we should be safe,'' he said. ''We've all got to keep that in the back of our mind and just be smart.''

The PGA Tour heads to Cromwell, Connecticut, next week, followed by Detroit and then back-to-back tournaments in Ohio.

''We've got to see what happens,'' Koepka said. ''It's unfortunate Nick got it, but at the same time, hopefully, it stays with just him and doesn't spread. Because I think we'll have a big issue on our hands if it keeps going as the weeks continue.''

Meanwhile down in St. Augustine where the Korn Ferry Tour wrapped Saturday with a Chris Kirk win, GolfChannel.com’s Will Gray talked to veteran pros of both Tours and members of PGA Tour committees.

A consistent theme developed: wake-up call.

Now, why, as the first sport back and with so much on the line the players needed a wake-up call, I don’t know. But good for vets like Johnson Wagner, James Hahn and Scott Langley for driving home that point.

From Wagner, a PGA Tour Policy Board player director:

“I guess I’m a little apprehensive right now. I feel like the longer we’re out, the more susceptible we are to positive tests,” said Johnson Wagner, a player director on the PGA Tour’s policy board. “So I’m just hoping this is a wake-up call to everybody on Tour, that just because you get tested on Monday and pass, you’re not impervious to this virus.”

Sergio On Nick Watney: "There's a lot of other people that probably deserved [COVID-19] a lot more than him"

On a white board somewhere in Ponte Vedra Beach, there was a list of reasons why PGA Tour needed to be careful in returning before most American sports.

I think we’d all agree that a top 3 lock sounded something like player and caddie safety in a time of pandemic. Next, there was surely something about doing damage to efforts at keeping golf or all other sports viable. Shoot, maybe something about not hurting the image of the game. Well, the PGA Tour.

Anyway, I’m fairly certain another top three reason would have been wishing the virus on a fellow player. Actually, no one in their right mind would think a player might…oh, wait, you said Sergio’s playing this week?

Sigh.

Following a third round 65 that has him two strokes off the RBC Heritage, Sergio Garcia accomplished at least one thing: he got Rory McIlroy out of the lead for the week’s Most Regrettable Comment.

From GolfDigest.com’s Daniel Rapaport on Garcia telling how he felt for Nick Watney testing positive for COVID-19, including how he gave him a ride on his jet and had a scary 4 1/2 wait for a test result.

“I felt terrible for Nick because he's probably one of the nicest guys on Tour,” Garcia said after shooting 65 on Saturday. “Unfortunately, it had to happen to him. So there's a lot of other people that probably deserved it a lot more than him, and he's the one that got it.”

Garcia did not, unfortunately, elaborate further as to which PGA Tour player deserves COVID-19 more than Watney.

What Went Wrong? First PGA Tour Player To Test COVID-19 Positive Had Symptoms Before Arriving At Course

PGA Tour Statement On Nick Watney

News of Nick Watney becoming the first PGA Tour player to test positive for COVID-19 was met with a fairly consistent chorus of “a matter of when, not if”.

However, a quick review suggests the PGA Tour “bubble” has burst in just week two of the “Return to Golf.”

There are wide-ranging implications for public health, Watney’s peers, golf tournaments going forward and even the entire sports business world. This was no secret and why overcautious behavior was vital. So the “matter of when, not if” view discounts what appears to be sloppiness by Watney, at the very least, and validates concerns early on that PGA Tour policies were too lenient.

A review, starting with this sequence of events from AP’s Doug Ferguson reporting from the RBC Heritage on Watney’s movements.

Before arriving to the course for his second round, he reported symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Watney was tested again, and the result came back positive.

Si Woo Kim saw him in passing on the range, and Rory McIlroy said he chatted with Watney on the putting green. McIlroy said they were at a distance, and that Watney sent him a text about the positive result after McIlroy finished his round.

''He was just saying, `Look, I hope I didn't get too close to you.' He feels badly that he was here today at the golf course,'' McIlroy said. ''I said to him, `If I was in your position, I probably would have been here, too. At this point, you just have to concentrate on getting better and getting healthy.'''

Brooks Koepka, world No. 2, reported being “right next to” Watney in the player parking lot. That’s the world’s no. 1 and 2 possibly exposed at a PGA Tour venue even with testing, protocols and other practices in place. Unreal.

Also noteworthy: during the Golf Channel broadcast, on-course reporter Mark Immelman said upon hearing the news he was watching Watney on Wednesday and thought the 35-year-old five-time winnner seemed lethargic, out of sorts with his swing, and not exuding 100% health.

This all begs the most obvious question: what happened to the PGA Tour’s daily questioning and temperature checks as outlined in their guidelines? In a state where cases are spiking?

How did Watney, feeling symptoms, get to places on the property like the range, putting green or clubhouse area?

From the PGA Tour Participant Resource Guide:

While a tad confusing on the “daily medical screening” portion which then outlines the first on-site test protocols for players, the final paragraph notes “abnormal daily on-site medical screening” and a tournament designated area for those potentially needing evaluation.

And yet the player in question was apparently awaiting test results outside of this area and free to roam among his peers? Unreal.

Which ultimately brings us to the apathy element obvious to those on site or watching on television: despite repeated pleas by PGA Tour officials asking for compliance, it’s not happening even with a national TV audience. That doesn’t bode well for taking all precautions necessary when the red light is off.

Robust testing is in place, as ESPN.com’s Bob Harig notes with the numbers here.

But testing is only one element. Note this from GolfChannel.com’s Rex Hoggard who looked at what the Watney situation means for tournaments going forward.

Unlike the bubble the NBA is creating in Orlando, Florida, the Tour’s bubble is only as strong as those it’s intended to protect. This inherent vulnerability has always been the primary concern.
As late as Thursday, players were warned, again, in a memo to maintain social distancing, minimize exposure and to avoid a sense of “false security.”

“Please be advised that failure to follow these protocols and the rules outlined in the Participant Resource Guide may result in a player or caddie being ineligible to receive the stipend provided by the PGA Tour for those constituents who are eligible,” read the memo from the Tour’s chief tournaments and competitions officer Andy Pazder.

Also potentially impacted are those who were around Watney Thursday at Harbour Town and who were informed of the news midway through their round (though with Watney WD’ing before the start of play, the possibility had to be in their heads).

From Brian Wacker’s GolfDigest.com story quoting Vaughn Taylor and Luke List, Watney’s playing partners.

“I was a little shocked, to be honest,” Taylor said. “Heart started racing, got a little nervous. Just hope Nick’s doing well and we get through this.

“It was on our minds that second nine. We were all chitchatting about it. It’s hard not to think about it.”

Though both players said they felt fine, Taylor and List, along with their caddies, confirmed they would undergo testing on Friday.

“Yeah, it was hard to concentrate out there for me, just thinking about different stuff, and I wasn't playing my best anyway,” said List, who won in the Korn Ferry Tour’s return to action last week at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach but shot two-over 73 on Friday to miss the cut.

Wacker notes Watney must quarantine for 10 days in Hilton Head or drive home immediately to Austin, Texas. He will receive $100,000 for his troubles and we hope, nothing more than some mild symptoms.

As for where this leaves the PGA Tour and future events, the viability of future events relies on actual enforcement of the guidelines and some major screw-tightening.

From Ferguson’s piece, noting the next “scheduled” event, the issues with Hilton Head this week, and a more responsible approach to testing next week:

The PGA Tour is scheduled to play next week in Cromwell, Connecticut, where the Travelers Championship is testing everyone - including volunteers and media - who will be on property.

Tournament organizers made that decision. The PGA Tour has tried to create a bubble of its key people at tournaments, designating player hotels as an option and urging everyone in the bubble to avoid outside contact. Some players have been renting houses. There is no regulation if they choose to eat out.

Hilton Head has been particularly busy this week, with local restaurants packed with people who typically come to this quiet island on the Atlantic coast for vacation.

''South Carolina's open. If you go anywhere to a restaurant, there's a lot of people there right now,'' Spieth said. ''So I guess that's probably best case is that he got it on his own outside'' the bubble.

Watney then brought it inside a bubble.

Maybe players need to hear this in more plain language. Let me help.

The flawed “bubble”—as Adam Scott felt and why the world no. 8 is not playing yet—was designed to not only protect players and others on site, but the viability of the golf industry in a time of pandemic. That means everyone from the pro ranks, to the everyday golf course, to every constituent in an $85 billion industry.

Let’s hope for all involved that Watney merely just has some light symptoms and no others at Harbour Town get COVID-19. Oh, and reading the regulations would be nice, too:

The news came on the same day Major League Baseball shut down all of its facilities to voluntary player workouts after multiple outbreaks.

Also, one of the nation’s elite college football programs, Clemson, revealed an outbreak of 23 positive tests.

Today In Microphone Wearing Wars: Koepka Scolds Announcers, Hadwin Gives Us Access To His Penalty

As galleries are kept away and likely will for most tournaments this year, the importance of sound continues to be a topic. Who knew it was this sensitive? Oh right, anyone who has dealt with modern golf pros who think they’re carrying out an NSA mission.

World No. 2 Brooks Koepka added this on the eve of the 2020 RBC Heritage at Harbour Town, reports Stephen Fastenau of the Island Packet.

Asked about his thought on players wearing microphones after his first round at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, Koepka didn’t hold back.

“I don’t understand why they want us to wear a mike when there’s a boom mike that stands 10 feet away from every shot that I hit,” Koepka said after opening with a 4-under-par 67 in his first start at Harbour Town Golf Links. “If the announcers would just shut up and listen, you could hear every word that we’re talking about.”

For Thursday’s Heritage first round, Adam Hadwin wore one. Besides providing several instances of insight and something different than stock, Melatonin-producing coverage, the Canadian gave us more than he ever hoped. After touching what he thought was a rock near his bunkered ball, he immediately declared it was, actually, sand. He immediately suspected he’d made a mistake and we got to hear the entire exchange with official Mark Dusbabek thanks to his microphone.

Brian Wacker with the full conversation here for GolfDigest.com.

Sadly, video showing the initial realization of the moment is not on the official Tour accounts, so enjoy this truncated version until the Cult PVB Fun Police zap what is a very harmless and informative mistake.

Here's Adam Hadwin vs the rules of golf... pic.twitter.com/0rDCnK7vrA

— RJ Choppy (@rjchoppy) June 18, 2020

Follow Up On PGA of America's Inclusion Efforts: CEO Waugh Reaches Out

Wendell Haskins wrote to his former employers at the PGA of America on Monday about the failed inclusion efforts while he was there.

Perhaps coincidentally, or not, Haskins was contacted by PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh Thursday after Wednesday night’s post here and, well, Waugh reports a good talk.

"I had never met Wendell so I reached out to him and had a two hour video chat. I listened carefully to his ideas and took them to heart in our ongoing efforts to make the PGA of America and the game of golf more inclusive and diverse. I appreciate the opportunity to share views and we thank him for the dialogue."

Tiger Checks In On His Peter Hay Course Revamp, Detailed Plans Unveiled

We got an update and plan of the in-progress updating of Pebble Beach’s Peter Hay Course, adjacent to the Lodge and becoming a big kids pitch and putt. Also great to see it is the plan to have a putting course.

For Immediate Release:

Pebble Beach Company and Tiger Woods release plans for reimagined short course facility at Pebble Beach

New facility will include a nine-hole par-3 short course, a putting course, and an indoor/outdoor food and beverage venue overlooking one of the Resort’s most stunning views
 
PEBBLE BEACH, CALIF. (June 18, 2020) – Pebble Beach Company and Tiger Woods, through his TGR Design firm, today released plans to transform the former site of Peter Hay Golf Course. Located directly between the Pebble Beach Pro Shop and Golf Academy, the new facility will include:
 
• A short course comprised of nine par-3 holes ranging in length from 47 to 106 yards and measuring 670 yards in total;

• A 20,000-square-foot putting course that can be set up in a variety of different hole and routing combinations; and

• A 5,000-square-foot food and beverage venue featuring a full kitchen and bar, indoor seating, and the resort’s largest outdoor patio positioned for expansive views of the short course, putting course, Carmel Bay, and Point Lobos
 
“We are thrilled to elevate the quality of our short course to a level consistent with our other world-class golf courses,” said Bill Perocchi, Chief Executive Officer of Pebble Beach Company. “You can see the genius of Tiger Woods and TGR Design come to life when you walk the site, the way it all fits together. I expect all aspects of this new facility will be very popular for junior golf events, Resort golfers, outings, resident hang-outs, and everything in between.”

Woods’ design philosophy for the short course is anchored on playability and creativity. His vision is that the course will draw new players to the game, bring families together, and provide a fun golf experience for players of all ages and abilities, while still offering a challenge for skilled players.

“Everyone who plays this golf course is going to enjoy the playability of it,” said Woods. “Golfers will have the choice to play nearly any club off most tees and around the greens, which will make them think and channel their creativity. It will also play differently from day to day depending on the tee and hole locations and wind direction. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I can’t wait to play it.”

In shaping the new course, Woods’ inspiration resulted in dramatic terrain movement and nine holes entirely distinct from the old course. He also reoriented the routing to better capture the views, with four holes now playing directly toward Carmel Bay.

In addition, Woods aligned each hole’s yardage to correspond with a significant year in Pebble Beach history, with accompanying plaques on each tee telling a story and creating the sense guests are walking amongst the Resort’s rich championship heritage as they play. The only exception is the course’s second hole, which will be an exact replica of the famous seventh hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Oh why not just go all 1929 in that replica while we’re at it!

“Pebble Beach is such an iconic golf destination, we want guests to feel the entirety of that spirit when they play this course. We also know not everyone who comes to Pebble Beach will have a chance to play the U.S. Open course, so we wanted to create the opportunity for all visitors to experience one of its most famous holes,” Woods added.

The Grand Opening of the entire facility is currently scheduled for the Spring of 2021.

Pictures from TGR Design of Tiger making a visit:

View this post on Instagram

“Pebble Beach is such an iconic golf destination, we want guests to feel the entirety of that spirit when they play this course,” @TigerWoods said of the reimagined short course at @PebbleBeachResorts. Visit the link in our bio for the Press Release.

A post shared by TGR Design (@tgr.design) on Jun 18, 2020 at 8:04am PDT

Former USGA Favorites Are Back: Oak Hill, Southern Hills Awarded Amateurs

Southern Hills

The good-things-come-to-those-who-restore movement continues as longtime USGA favorites Oak Hill and Southern Hills were awarded future championships.

Oak Hill’s two courses where Andrew Green has undertaken an East Course restoration set for a big national stage return in the 2023 PGA, with the U.S. Amateur now coming in 2027.

In 2024 Southern Hills, fresh off a Hanse Design restoration, will host the U.S. Women’s Amateur. It hosts the Senior PGA next year and the 2030 PGA.

Of course, all of this contingent upon there still being amateur golfers in the future.

On that note, For Immediate Release:

Classic U.S. Open Courses Awarded USGA Amateurs

Oak Hill will host 2027 U.S. Amateur; Southern Hills to host 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur 

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (June 18, 2020) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that a pair of celebrated U.S. Open venues will host future USGA amateur championships. Oak Hill Country Club, in Pittsford, N.Y., will be the site of the 127th U.S. Amateur and Southern Hills Country Club, in Tulsa, Okla., will host the 124th U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Oak Hill, where in 1989 Curtis Strange became the first player in 38 years to successfully defend his U.S. Open title, will host its third U.S. Amateur and seventh USGA championship in 2027. The East and West Courses will be used for stroke play and the East Course will be used for match play. The championship is scheduled for Aug. 9-15.

Southern Hills, the site of three U.S. Opens, will host its second U.S. Women’s Amateur and 10th USGA championship on Aug. 5-11, 2024. Retief Goosen won the first of his two Opens in an 18-hole playoff with Mark Brooks in 2001. Tommy Bolt and Hubert Green won their U.S. Opens there in 1958 and 1977, respectively.

“We are excited to return to both Oak Hill Country Club and Southern Hills Country Club, places with incredible USGA championship pedigrees that have produced storied U.S. Open champions,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director, Championships. “The memberships of these clubs and each community’s unbridled enthusiasm will lend themselves well to what we are sure will be two extraordinary championships.”

Oak Hill Country Club has been associated with some of the greatest champions in U.S. Open history. With his victory in 1989, Strange became the first player to win back-to-back U.S. Opens since Ben Hogan. His 72-hole score of 2-under 278 was one stroke better than three players as he rallied from three behind at the start of the final round. Cary Middlecoff won his second U.S. Open in 1956 and Lee Trevino captured the first of his two Open victories in 1968. Two U.S. Amateurs and one U.S. Senior Open have also been conducted at the club. Charlie Coe won the 1949 Amateur, while Hank Kuehne was the U.S. Amateur champion in 1998. Miller Barber won the second of his record three U.S. Senior Open titles in 1984. 

Founded in 1901 on the banks of the Genesee River, Oak Hill moved to its present site in 1926. It was at that time that the Donald Ross-designed East and West Courses debuted. Over the years numerous changes have been made to the East Course, and in 2019, Andrew Green completed a restoration of the course.  

“Oak Hill is thrilled to host the 2027 U.S. Amateur Championship on our East and West Courses,” said Dr. David Fries, club president. “The newly restored East Course features strategic tree management, wider playing corridors, bold bunkering and imaginative putting surfaces. We anticipate it will provide a stern, but thoughtful examination for the best amateurs in the world. We are also delighted to rekindle our relationship with the USGA, which dates to our first U.S. Amateur in 1949. Our membership has always longed to bring back this championship as the more intimate setting and match-play format allow for incredible spectating and excitement.”

Southern Hills Country Club, which was designed by Perry Maxwell, opened for play in 1936 and is situated on land that was donated by wealthy oilman Waite Phillips. There have been several course modifications over the decades, including a recent restoration by Gil Hanse. In addition to three U.S. Opens, the course hosted the 1946 U.S. Women’s Amateur, when the legendary Babe Didrikson Zaharias defeated Clara Sherman, 11 and 9, in the championship final. Zaharias would go on to win three U.S. Women’s Open titles.

Other USGA championships held at Southern Hills were the 1953 U.S. Junior Amateur, won by Rex Baxter Jr.; the 1961 U.S. Senior Amateur, won by Dexter Daniels; the 1965 U.S. Amateur, won by Bob Murphy; the inaugural U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur in 1987, won by Cindy Scholefield, and the 2009 U.S. Amateur, won by Byeong-Hun An.

“We are ecstatic for the opportunity to host another U.S. Women’s Amateur, a championship that is not only a staple of amateur golf, but a part of our club’s long history with the USGA,” said Bryan Johnson, Southern Hills club president. “To have the opportunity to continue this legacy, one that began with Babe Didrikson Zaharias winning the championship here, and showcase our course and hospitality to the best amateur players in the world, is something our membership is extremely proud of.”

Southern Hills has also been the site of four PGA Championships, including wins by past U.S. Open champions Tiger Woods in 2007 and Raymond Floyd in 1982. Dave Stockton (1970) and Nick Price (1994) also won PGAs on the course. It was recently announced that Southern Hills will host the PGA for the fifth time in 2030. Oak Hill has been the site of three PGA Championships (1980, won by Jack Nicklaus; 2003, won by Shaun Micheel; and 2013, won by Jason Dufner) and is scheduled to host again in 2023. The club also hosted the 1995 Ryder Cup Matches, won by Europe.

 Architect Green posted this video documenting the Oak Hill work.

As part of the announcement for Oak Hill and the US Amateur in 2027, the Club released a video documenting the work last year.

So proud of the entire team.@ohccturf1 @KevT03 @JRWilliams4Ball #GolfWater#LaBar#LandscapesUnlimitedhttps://t.co/MC4iorWqhF

— Andrew Green (@GreenGCA) June 19, 2020

Here is The Fried Egg’s write-up on the Southern Hills restoration and video:

Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison discuss Perry Maxwell's brilliant routing of Southern Hills Country Club, focusing on how Maxwell takes repeated advantage ...

Poll Update: Postponing Ryder Cup To ‘21 Wins, Surprising Number Of Voters Open To Fan-Free Event This Year

Thanks to everyone for voting in the poll adding one key provision to questions surrounding the what to do with the 2020 Ryder Cup.

Just a reminder: most top players the Ryder Cup cannot go forward until next year without the energy of fans. Some feel it should go no matter what, some think a quieter proceeding minus running high-fives and threats of violence against family members might be more appropriate in these times, and recently, signs have suggested the best case scenario may be very limited galleries.

Yet as we learned from the AP’s Doug Ferguson, top players surveyed last week were not given the option to postpone to next year due to the PGA Tour’s unwillingness to push back the 2021 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow.

That’s why the tour went to some of the top players last week at Colonial for a survey. Players were asked to prioritize the following scenarios: a Ryder Cup this year with no fans, a Ryder Cup with half the fans or a Ryder Cup in 2022.

So the results are in and they are, frankly, surprising. Thanks to over 500 of you for voting so far.

A majority want the Ryder Cup played this year and a majority of those voters are fine with it played minus fans. But, the biggest vote-getter was for postponement to 2021. Not shockingly, few took the PGA Tour option of postponement to 2022.

Rory To Europeans Avoiding America For Restart: "It’s not a hardship for two weeks to come over and quarantine."

With elite players like Tommy Fleetwood, Francesco Molinari and Lee Westwood opting to sit out the PGA Tour’s restart, I didn’t expect anyone to question their decision to stay home. Particularly given travel constraints and the two-week quarantine time (each way) for British golfers. And then there is the restarted in two COVID-19 hotspots (Texas and parts of South Carolina) and in a country with the runaway lead in positive tests.

Rory McIlroy, however, was asked in his pre-RBC Heritage Zoom conference and leveled a pretty harsh rebuke of his European Tour peers, reports Gareth Hanna of the Belfast Telegraph.

“If I were in their shoes and I was asked to come over to the States and quarantine for two weeks before these tournaments, I would have done that,” he said.

“If you really care about your career and care about moving forward, you should be here, I think. Last week was 70 World Ranking points for the winner, this week 74.

“I get there are different variables and families involved, but we all have the means to rent a very nice house in a gated community in Florida. It’s not a hardship for two weeks to come over and quarantine.”

McIlroy passed up the 2016 Olympics over concerns about the Zika virus.

Ex-PGA Of America Diversity Officer: Organization Lacked Inclusiveness, Diversity As Championed In Floyd Statement

After the death of George Floyd and ensuing protests, PGA of America President Suzy Whaley and CEO Seth Waugh both penned letters asking for ideas from members and imploring the organization to be more inclusive.

From Whaley’s letter:

Together, each one of us has the power to effect change and build an industry that is accepting, compassionate, and proud to stand together. Stand with us in the possibility and the hope that we cannot ignore our lack of inclusion. Stand with us and let’s all take the necessary steps to change it. Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas through email at Inclusion@pgahq.com.

And from Waugh:

We recognize that golf can’t cure all of society’s challenges. But because of our nearly 29,000 PGA Golf Professionals, I believe we are positioned to lead the conversation and take action on how golf can help. We are certainly not proud of every chapter in golf’s imperfect past, including our own failings, but we can certainly be proud of the future we can build together if we become a committed part of the solution. PGA WORKS and PGA LEAD are intentional steps we have taken to make a difference in our sport. But now we must do more and reach higher.

One person who shared his thoughts in response to the letters: Wendell Haskins, a four year member (2014-17) of the PGA staff who started as the director of inclusion efforts followed by a promotion to marketing role.

And now with a CMO job and some distance from Palm Beach Gardens, Haskins penned this letter about his experiences as a black executive for the PGA. As always, I urge you to hit the link and read it all.

Some of the key points, which Haskins says he had never shared publicly, kicks into gear with this on trying to right the wrongs committed against Charlie Sifford:

·      When I started at the PGA of America in 2014 as Sr. Director of Diversity I proposed that I pursue the Presidential Medal of Freedom for Charlie Sifford (golf’s Jackie Robinson and PGA member) as well as petition the board to induct him into the PGA of America Hall of fame. This was to give Sifford the deserved recognition while he was alive and to create an opportunity for atonement and better relations between the PGA of America and the Black community.

·      In November of 2014 no PGA of America leadership came to Washington D.C. to congratulate Charlie Sifford for receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

·      Charlie Sifford was denied being expedited into the PGA of America Hall of Fame at 92 years old. My petition was denied by the board and Sifford ended up being inducted posthumously.

·      My peer-supervisor directed one of my co-workers to blind copy her on all of her emails with me regarding the Sifford initiative. (Yes, my white coworker was kind enough to inform me)

·      My peer-supervisor instructed me to return 12 complimentary Delta Travel certificates that I arranged through my relationship with a Delta Airlines Employee (who happened to be African American and my college alumni) to fly certain dignitaries that had written letters to the President, to attend my PGA private dinner congratulating Sifford. The people included Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Alonzo Mourning, Renee Powell, Pete McDaniel, Jesse Jackson, Ken Chenault and others. Subsequently, I was not approved to invite these guests and the dinner for Sifford was diminished to a humble gathering. My supervisor at the time emailed me saying, “if people weren’t going to the actual White House ceremony she didn’t see why anyone would be interested in attending a dinner for Sifford.”

It doesn’t get any better from there on the Sifford front. Especially given that he’s talking about things like this going on in the last five years. And this:

·      In 2014 Ted Bishop was permanently ousted as PGA President for his Facebook comments stating that Ian Poulter “sounds like a little school girl squealing during recess”, meanwhile Donald Trump said he can “grab women by the pu@#y” and is awarded the organizations major championship. This is dreadfully inconsistent with the organizations stated values.

And…

·      In 2016 I tapped NBA All Star Chris Paul to do a “Thanks PGA Pro” commercial in a national campaign promoting the PGA professionals. The commercial featured Chris, his father and brother enjoying golf and fun banter with their PGA professional Jeremy Story at Sage Valley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivriHmpY0QY . I was confused and disappointed when the Senior Director of Media didn’t want to release the commercial on Golf Channel because he felt it was “too different.” 

He goes on to make several recommendations.

5.    Compensate Your Minority Employees Fairly There aren’t any Black employees at the PGA of America HQ that earn a six-figure salary (with the exception of possibly one). 

6.    Reinstate the PGA Post Graduate Diversity Program This program attracted more Black people to become PGA professionals. Bring it back. 

And…

8.    Tie Diversity Into Performance Diversity requires setting goals, creating benchmarks and accountability. If there are no consequences for not meeting certain goals and expectations around diversity it’s pointless. 

9.    Rename The Horton Smith Award – He was a racist. 

You can read the full letter here.

PGA Tour COVID-19 Testing Remains Perfect, Two More Korn Ferry Caddies Test Positive, WD's Need Explanation

Almost perfect news across the PGA Tour’s testing of players, caddies and family, reports Bob Harig at ESPN.com.

The total of 954 tests over two weeks includes the 98 players, caddies and family members who boarded chartered flights from Dallas on Monday to travel to Hilton Head for the second event on the PGA Tour's revised schedule after a 13-week shutdown because of the coronavirus pandemic. Those who traveled to South Carolina on their own were required to take a test on-site.

Ian Poulter shared his testing experience and the, uh, sensations he felt after the swab went up his nose.

Have you ever wondered what Corona Virus testing in sport looks like...bet you don’t want to know what it feels like! pic.twitter.com/GUCxdn7oiI

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) June 17, 2020

In less positive news, Harig reported this in addition to the previous week’s Korn Ferry Tour’s four positive tests…

On the Korn Ferry Tour, there have been 408 total coronavirus tests conducted, with two positive results, both from non-players.

Obviously issue #1 is the health of those who did test positive. Here’s hoping they get the support necessary to get well and get back looping with no reprecussions for having contracted the virus.

Issue #2, very much a distant second but nonetheless one totally foreseeable: the PGA Tour does not like to disclose much, including who tests positive for anything. In the case of the virus, while perfectly understandable, the current policy leaves players open to unfair speculation.

But this week, Scottie Scheffler, Kevin Na and Cameron Tringale all WD’d from the RBC Heritage. There were some reports about Na’s back if you poked around Twitter, but no clear explanation was given for Scheffler and Tringale upon the news breaking.

Again, it’s a difficult situation. But without a clearer disclosure for WD’s during the COVID-19 era it causes fans to immediately worry about the player’s health.

LPGA Returns July 31st With New Event Set For Storied Inverness

Kyle Rowland from the Toledo Blade reports the exciting news for golf fans, historians and architecture buffs who will get to see the revamped Inverness a year early.

One of America’s most storied tournament courses before today’s mega-jocks moved to plant based diets and became able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, the Donald Ross classic will still host the 2021 Solheim Cup. But now, thanks to some creative maneuvering, Inverness will be on Golf Channel screens July 31-Aug. 2.

 “Thanks in part to the generosity of our partners who could not reschedule their events in 2020, we are adding a valuable additional playing opportunity for our LPGA Tour members,” Whan said in a press release.

The full release can be read here.

And Golf Course Architecture’s Richard Humphreys profiled Andrew Green’s restoration here.

September's U.S. Open (Golf) vs. September's U.S. Open (Tennis)

With news of New York approving a U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows, this now joins a rescheduled U.S. Open at Winged Foot in the same state. One is tennis, one is golf and some contrasts are emerging.

Christopher Clarey’s New York Times exclusive item confirms the U.S. Open (tennis) will remain on schedule for Aug. 31 to Sept. 13 without fans.

The USGA’s rescheduled U.S. Open (golf) has not ruled out on-site spectators, though with a stated limit of 2000, it’s hard to see more than a handful of non-essential folks on site.

Back to tennis. As Clarey notes in his item, a lot still has to be figured out regarding travel restrictions for the mostly non-American field to get to New York. Top male player sound unenthusiastic for a number of reasons.

One of the women, world doubles No. 7 Gaby Dobrowski, wrote of her concerns on social media today. Note the final portion and a belief that a U.S. Open is not a proper tournament without qualifying and other divisions beyond singles.

My personal thoughts on the @usopen moving forward: pic.twitter.com/wLfoQPb2LN

— Gaby Dabrowski (@GabyDabrowski) June 16, 2020

The USGA is forging ahead without local and sectional qualifyings, and according to Dave Shedloski in this GolfDigest.com piece, “strictly due to safety concerns for players, caddies, administrators, rules officials, personnel at the clubs that host them, and anyone else who might have engaged in those nationwide events.”

USGA officials are now in the process of designing a 144-player field (from 156) to get a round in on a 12 hour day versus June’s 15-hour days. But, without the local and sectional qualifyings. The USGA’s John Bodenhamer in Shedloski’s piece:

“We are looking at data, we are looking at those who play year in and year out in the championship and qualifiers. We want to kind of turn over every stone to build a field.”

Top players, for the most part, have not voiced similar concerns as the top players in tennis.

And finally, there will be this matter for both U.S. Opens to face: can you safely host international fields for this event. Or worse, will this situation make it an easy decision to stay home:

The population of the US is 330 million
The population of the EU is 446 million

[source https://t.co/JtQgQFMvj9] pic.twitter.com/DAVWfkIW15

— Max Roser (@MaxCRoser) June 16, 2020

Take The PGA Tour's Ryder Cup Poll...Only With The Obvious Missing Question

AP’s Doug Ferguson lays out the issues facing those charged with determining the 2020 Ryder Cup’s fate. It seems saving the 2021 Presidents Cup—yes the Presidents Cup—because it has been pre-sold, would be a blow to the PGA Tour coffers. So they surveyed top players last week about what to do.

One small problem?

A possible survey winner, Ferguson reports, was not included as an option for a decision that is not even the PGA Tour’s to make.

That’s why the tour went to some of the top players last week at Colonial for a survey. Players were asked to prioritize the following scenarios: a Ryder Cup this year with no fans, a Ryder Cup with half the fans or a Ryder Cup in 2022.

I’m sure it was just an administrative oversight to leave out the other option some might select: postpone the Ryder Cup to 2021.

So in the interest of helping the PGA Tour make a decision that is not theirs to make—the PGA of America controls the 2020 Ryder Cup date—why don’t we do our own poll here with all of the appropriate options?

Given what we currently know, pick the "highest priority" option for the 2020 Ryder Cup:

Play the Ryder Cup in 2020 even if fans are not allowed

Play the Ryder Cup in 2020 if galleries can be present in some form

Postpone the Ryder Cup to 2021

Postpone the Ryder Cup to 2022

 

pollcode.com free polls

Video: European Tour Pros Hold A Zoom Conference Call

The pitch: “9 star golfers. 1 meeting. What could possibly go wrong…?! See what happened when Martin Kaymer hosted a weekly video conference call meeting with fellow golf stars Tommy Fleetwood, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, Gary Player, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Lee Westwood.”

The European Tour social team is back and better than ever: