A group of PGA golfers, including one of the best players in the world, will skip the upcoming Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
Brooks Koepka and four other golfers will abstain from competing in the tournament after members of their teams tested positive for the coronavirus. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said the decision was made out of an “abundance of caution” for other players on the tour.
“I think we all need to remind ourselves that we’re all learning to live with this virus, and we all need to learn to live with this virus, both as individuals, as family members, and certainly within our businesses. It’s pretty clear that this virus isn’t going anywhere,” Monahan said during a Monday afternoon press conference.
Justin Rose, a golfer from the United Kingdom, said he wasn’t concerned about his fellow golfers being potentially exposed to the coronavirus.
“I still feel safe, and there are great procedures in place,” Rose told CNN. “That’s where I think golf has an advantage over other sports. We’re not in close contact with our competition. There’s many golf clubs now open around the world with certain procedures and precautions in place, and I’m hoping that that is a benefit for us, but we need the guys to continue to stay safe and healthy.”
PGA officials plan to go ahead with the tournament even though cases of the coronavirus are rising in several major American states.
