Return to Golf: Golf Digest’s exclusive images from the 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial

Photos by Darren Carroll for Golf Digest

After a three-month layoff due to the coronavirus, the return of the PGA Tour this week at the Charles Schwab Challenge promises to be an experience unlike any other. Tour officials have gone to great lengths to re-imagine what it means to host a golf tournament that’s safe for all those involved, and Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth is the first attempt at putting their plan for a scaled-down event into motion. There are no fans but plenty of sanitizing stations, as players, caddies and volunteers enter this brave new world. Throughout the week, photographer Darren Carroll will be chronicling the tournament for Golf Digest, honing his camera to give readers a detailed look at this historic event. —Ryan Herrington

Daniel Berger enjoys the spoils of victory, claiming the trophy and the winner’s tarten after beating Colin Morikawa in a playoff.

Berger’s swing comes with a few quirks.

Berger showcases his swing off the tee.

Jordan Spieth watched stunned that this putt in the final round didn’t drop.

Collin Morikawa looked dejected after his playoff loss to Daniel Berger.

Brendan Grace tries to get into a groove with his driver.

The 18th green is frighteningly empty early on Sunday morning.

The media centre is transformed to build social distancing accommodations.

The PGA Tour’s health and safety instructions are prominently displayed for players, caddies and officials.

There was plenty of solitude for players and caddies alike on Sunday at Colonial.

The one benefit of an early tee time in the final round: beating the Texas heat.

By Day 4 at Colonial, new routines are becoming more routine for caddies and their sanitizing wipes.

Those who made the cut faced another warm day in Fort Worth on Saturday as they began the third round.

It’s the third day of competition at Colonial, but there’s still hard to get used to the quiet and solitude of a tournament without fans.

The pained look on Rory McIlroy’s face hints that he wasn’t entirely happy with this drive.

If Jordan Spieth could have gotten this chip from off the 18th green to fall, he would have held a share of the 54-hole lead at Colonial. Instead, he had to settle for starting Sunday one stroke back.

Colonial’s famed Wall of Champions has a spot open for the 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge winner.

Jordan Spieth makes quite the splash from this bunker during the third round.

If you didn’t know any better, you wouldn’t realize this was a PGA Tour event.

A volunteer sanitizes the golf carts used by the players to go back and forth from the driving range to the first tee.

This scoreboard operator near the 18th green can’t help but try to get a glimpse of the action on Saturday.

An official tries to beat the third-round heat with some water.

Bryson DeChambeau gets help breaking down his putting stroke from a member of his team on Saturday.

Harold Varner III and Jordan Spieth exchange smile after finishing out their third round.

Early groups get underway on Friday at Colonial.

Players get in some work on the practice putting green ahead of Round 2.

Jordan Spieth works to knock off the competitive rust of a three-month layoff as he plays his way into contention on Friday.

Fans from a balcony outside the ropes cheer on Bryson DeChambeau.

Health officials prepare a scanning station at a volunteer entrance. As part of the PGA Tour’s health and safety protocols, everyone entering Colonial must pass a thermal temperature scan and fill out a questionnaire to be cleared.

Justin Thomas plays a tricky punch shot.

The trophy that Sunday’s winner will claim was on display at the first tee Friday.

They’re playing a PGA Tour event here, but the emptiness of the course gave Colonial the feel of casual Friday at any club in America.

Matt Fitzpatrick walks down the 10th hole to begin his second round.

A tour official provides Denny McCarthy with his scorecard ahead of his morning tee time.

A caddie handles the flagstick with care … and a sanitizing wipe.

Jon Rahm doesn’t appear to like this tee shot very much.

Jim Furyk and Mike (Fluff) Cowan have gotten the hang of the recommended social distancing between player and caddie.

The “crowd” around the 13th tee is far different this week than in past tournaments.

Phil Mickelson’s sunglasses couldn’t hide the fact that his game appeared rusty, as he would miss the cut.

Jim Furyk doesn’t let this awkward sidehill lie get to him.

Justin Rose watches this drive anxiously.

Residents around the neighbourhood at Colonial offer their support to the players and caddies.

Patton Kizzire heads down the fairway as he begins his opening round.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan watches the start of the first round Thursday.

Jhonattan Vegas practices his putting ahead of his first-round tee time.

Ryan Palmer, a member at Colonial Country Club and a Texas native, plays away in front of the club’s famed Wall of Champions after getting the honour of hitting the first official shot of the tournament.

A handful of players grab breakfast at Colonial on Thursday morning.

A volunteer helps sanitize the media centre, where work stations have been spread out for proper social distancing.

At 8:46 a.m. on Thursday, the PGA Tour held a minute of silence to remember George Floyd and highlight racial injustice.

Who said there were no fans at Colonial? Onlookers from behind a chain-link fence catch a glimpse of Jordan Spieth on Thursday.

Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy mirror each other’s poses as they stand not far from a manual scoreboard.

Rickie Fowler plays away while paired with Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas on Thursday.

Brooks Koepka follows a drive anxiously during his first round.

Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy explore a little course strategy as they wait on the tee during the first round.

CBS commentator Dottie Pepper was happily back on the job reporting during the Thursday broadcast.

Dylan Frittelli plays a perilous shot from beside the 18th green.

There might not be any fans inside Colonial Country Club, but players like Brian Harman were still showing emotions after good and bad shots during Thursday’s opening round.

Todd Montoya, caddie for Brian Stuard, has been as vigilant as a looper in following the PGA Tour’s requests on wearing masks and social distancing.

It was bombs away for Phil Mickelson off the tee on Thursday.

Dustin Johnson, too, wasn’t holding anything back in his swing.

Jordan Spieth blasts out of a fairway bunker during his opening round.

The emptiness of the course is best described with images like this.

Wednesday is usually Pro-Am day at PGA Tour events, but there was only the hustle and bustle of players getting in some last-minute practice this week.

Volunteers made sure to protect the statue of Ben Hogan at Colonial.

Defending champion Kevin Na gets interview by local media on Wednesday.

Old habits die hard as Matt Kuchar gives a friend a fist bump after seeing him on Wednesday.

Hand sanitizing stations are dotted throughout the course with players and caddies encouraged to clean their hands often.

Even camera operators isolated in TV towers are encouraged to protect themselves while on the job.