Governed by a new Health Strategy that aims to mitigate the risk of Covid-19, the European Tour and Challenge Tour have both restarted at the Austrian Open this week with a few big changes.
Developed by European Tour Chief Medical Officer Dr Andrew Murray in consultation with Cignpost, the new Health Strategy includes rapid on-site COVID-19 testing services, daily symptom checks, social distancing and an enhanced standard of hygiene.
As explained by Dr. Murray, the process players, caddies and staff members will now have to go through at each tournament is ‘some of the strictest screening and testing criteria on earth’.
“The entire world has changed,” explains Dr. Murray. “We know we can put golf tournaments on safely but there’s a number of factors that we need to consider.
“We very accurately assess risk. We’re working with the host government, we’re working with the public health authorities to do absolutely everything we can to decrease the risk from Coronavirus.”
The process involves needing a negative PCR test before travelling to the tournament, a further test on arrival, and daily symptom questionnaires and temperature checks.
“Our athletes are subject to some of the strictest screening and testing criteria on earth. Even prior to coming to the tournament in Austria, people have had a negative PCR, or molecular test. Every single day they will fill out a symptom questionnaire and a temperature check before they even get access to the golf tournament, and on the first day of arrival, before people get access to the course, again they’ll have a further PCR test.
“And it’s only when they are cleared from these processes that they can come in and enjoy the tournament. There’s two things that are important: there’s getting golf back out, but also doing so in a very safe and controlled fashion.”
Working with Cignpost, the European Tour’s on-site testing facilities accurately produce results within two to four hours.
“We are very lucky to work with Cignpost. If you think that for example that Premiership football, the Bundesliga, etc., it’s taking a day or two. We’re actually able to have testing here on site and producing fast and accurate results within two to four hours.”
In addition to testing, social distance measures have been enforced, as well as an enhanced standard of hygiene with hand sanitiser available at every tee, toilets and eating facilities, and face coverings to be worn indoors.
“No matter which country we are in, if we’re bringing a lot of people together, social distancing is exceptionally important so we’re saying to our players, our caddies and our staff 2 meters at all times except for the player and caddie group, because it is essentially very difficult to separate those two people at all times.
“The second thing is an enhanced standard of hygiene. Washing your hands, using hand sanitiser, all of the time. Hand sanitiser is on every single tee, it’s at all the toilets and all the eating facilities, so that’s another really critical component.
“The third thing is wearing a facial covering at all times when you’re inside. That’s why golf is so good, it’s actually a very safe sport. It’s great to be back on the fairways, and there’s a lot of things we’ve put in place.”
What the players are saying
Joost Luiten: “When you get here you have to do a test and you have to do a temperature check. It’s new and it’s different, but it’s just part of the new rules on Tour and you’ve just got to accept it.
“We’ve all seen the different sporting events around the world that have been started so I think you learn from each other and I think golf is a sport where it’s quite easy to keep the distance between each other. There’s no spectators so it’s as quiet as you can get it, and I think that’s the way to do it at the moment.”
Connor Syme: “It’s good to be tested again and it just feels more comfortable if you know for certain everyone is alright. Everyone seems to be doing the right thing with social distancing so certainly my experience so far has been all positive and it’s been good to be back and feeling safe.
“It feels safe too, with all the precautions the European Tour are taking to make it possible to play. It feels good.”
