PGA beefs up virus protocol after a rash of positive cases at Travelers C’ship

The PGA Tour said on Saturday it is beefing up safety protocols for upcoming tournaments following a rash of positive coronavirus tests at this week’s Travelers Championship.

The tour said in a statement that as of next week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, no players, caddie or other individual will be allowed inside the “bubble” until first being cleared via a negative COVID-19 test.

Previously players and caddies were allowed to be on site to practice as they awaited test results, but were not allowed to use any indoor facilities.

“The Tour is taking that precaution one step further to add an additional safety measure in that no player nor caddie will be on site - anywhere - to start the week, without first being cleared through COVID-19 screening,” the Tour said.

“This same policy will apply to all individuals inside the bubble, such as independent physios, instructors, staff and others.”

The revised safety policy comes after seven players withdrew from the Travelers Championship in Connecticut for COVID-19 related reasons.

Three players and two caddies tested positive immediately before or during the event, while two other golfers withdrew as a precautionary measure. On Saturday, Jason Day teed off in the third round alone after requesting an additional test. He was later confirmed to be negative for the disease.

Todd leads: Brendon Todd carded a career-low nine-under-par 61 to open up a two-shot lead after the third round on Saturday.

Todd, chasing his third win of the 2019-2020 season, posted nine birdies in a bogey-free round at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.

The 34-year-old had started the day four strokes off the pace after opening rounds of 66 and 65, but marched up the leaderboard with a flurry of five birdies over the front nine.

A red-hot putter ignited Todd’s round from the first hole, delivering an opening birdie after making a tricky 13-footer.

Todd then made birdie putts of 25ft, 17ft and 10ft before rolling in a six-footer at the turn to move to five under for the day.

Four more birdies over the back nine left him at 18 under after three rounds, two clear of former world number one Dustin Johnson, who also swept up the leaderboard with a nine-under-par 61 of his own.

Todd had the chance to open up a three-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round, but saw his seven-foot birdie putt roll just past the cup on the 18th.

“I’m just riding the confidence I had last fall when I was playing well,” said Todd, who won back-to-back tournaments last November.

Earlier, Johnson had made a bid for the lead with the lowest round of his PGA Tour career, finishing the day on 16 under after posting nine birdies and no bogeys.

The former world number one -- whose last PGA Tour win came at the WGC Mexico Championship in February last year -- was quickly into his stride with a birdie on the par-4 second after an approach left him six feet from the hole.

Another superb iron on the fourth left him with a 7-foot putt for birdie which he converted.

Mickelson struggles : He drained another 8ft putt for his third birdie of the day on the seventh and then improved to four under at the turn after his second shot on the ninth left him with a tap-in for birdie.

An 18ft birdie putt took him to five under on the 10th, and then back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th holes vaulted him into the lead on 14 under overall alongside Brendon Todd.

Johnson calmly rolled in a four-footer on the short par-four 15th for birdie and then took sole possession of the leaderboard with an 8ft putt for birdie on the 17th to put him at nine under.

Saturday’s third round had teed off early in an effort to avert disruption from poor weather forecast for later on Saturday.

Agence France-Presse