Leave it to Colin Montgomerie to be Debbie Downer.
Our favorite newspaper in Scotland, The Scotsman, tracked old Monty down and it seems Monty doesn’t think the PGA Tour can resume its schedule in mid-June as planned by the Tour.
“To think about starting up in June is very optimistic, to say the least,” Monty said. “All sorts of different scenarios have to come into play, but I just can’t see it.”
Monty cited testing for the Corona Virus as an obstacle but the Tour has its plan to test players, caddies and tournament workers.
Monty complained those test kits should be used elsewhere. “But you do feel that somehow those million tests (the tour may need for an entire season) could be used for frontline workers more than for us. Everyone is not getting tested yet, and front-line staff around the world should be tested first before we get anything.”
Montgomerie was also concerned with the different levels of government. Cities and states across the country have enacted different restrictions due to the Corona Virus, and Andy Pazder, the Tour’s chief tournament and competitions officer, said the Tour would work with all local, state and federal health regulations.
Among other issues Monty touched on was how international players would be able to travel to the U.S. under current travel restrictions. Pazder has said there are about 25 Tour players and 35 caddies who face that situation, and that the Tour is “paying very close attention to if and when those restrictions are changed.”
Montgomerie also wondered what would happen if anyone associated with the Tour tested positive.
When the Tour announced its return, Tyler Dennis, the Tour’s chief of operations, said “that question is not something I can answer yet, but it’s something we’re evaluating closely.”
“We are first to go and, if it does spike up or go wrong – if one of the players contracts this virus or one of the caddies or volunteers among the 600-odd people they say have to be on site at these tournaments even without a crowd – what happens then?” Montgomerie asked.
Well, as much as Monty huffed and puffed, 2014 victorious European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley came to the rescue.
“I think it’s achievable,” McGinley told The Golf Channel on Tuesday. “I’ll go against Monty there.”
We will as well.
