NEW RULES

Vaccinated PGA Tour players no longer have to wear masks

The report indicated that beginning next week vaccinated players will no longer be required to wear masks indoors or outdoors.

In Summary

•The change reportedly will take effect at next week’s Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, not at this week’s PGA Championship in Kiawah Island, S.C. The PGA Championship is run by the PGA of America, not the PGA Tour.

• Players’ partners would need to undergo Covid-19 tests at the tournament venue unless they are vaccinated.

Patrick Reed plays out of a bunker on the ninth hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort.
Patrick Reed plays out of a bunker on the ninth hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort.
Image: /REUTERS

The PGA Tour loosened its mask-wearing policy on Tuesday, according to GolfChannel.com.

The report indicated that beginning next week vaccinated players will no longer be required to wear masks indoors or outdoors.

Unvaccinated players still must wear masks indoors, though they will be allowed to go mask-free outdoors unless they can’t socially distance themselves from others.

The move comes a week after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a similar change to its mask-wearing guidelines, saying vaccinated people generally can go without masks indoors and outdoors.

The change reportedly will take effect at next week’s Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, not at this week’s PGA Championship in Kiawah Island, S.C. The PGA Championship is run by the PGA of America, not the PGA Tour.

Golf Channel also reported that spouses and significant others of players are set to be welcomed back into the players’ “bubble,” where they haven’t been permitted since the tour before took a hiatus in the spring of 2020.

Players’ partners would need to undergo Covid-19 tests at the tournament venue unless they are vaccinated.