Nicolas Economou

By Brian Wacker
Players, caddies, and other essential personnel entering the United States to compete on the PGA Tour will no longer be subject to a 14-day quarantine, effective immediately. The restrictions were eased by the White House and players were notified via e-mail late Friday evening.

The e-mail, obtained by Golf Digest, said the move was made because that group is “subject to testing and screening through the tour’s rigorous health and safety protocols throughout a tournament week.”

The timing of the decision is significant, with the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and PGA Championship taking place each of the next two weeks. On Saturday, Englishman Lee Westwood, currently playing in the British Masters, said that he still would not participate in either tournament, regardless of the news.

The policy applies to anyone inside the “bubble,” including players, caddies, coaches and physical therapists. However, spouses/significant others, family members, friends and other personnel who are not in the “bubble” would still be expected to quarantine under CDC guidelines.

The email also noted that all parties would still be subject to the requirements in place for each individual country when returning home.