For a moment, golf was the only sport left standing. The NBA and NHL suspended its seasons, the NCAA canceled the NCAA Tournament, universities were shutting down and there was a strict travel ban involving the United States, but The Players went on as scheduled on Thursday with fans in attendance despite the coronavirus threat.
It turns out Thursday’s opening round was a wash however as the tournament was canceled just a couple of hours after the first-round concluded.
— Daniel Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) March 13, 2020
Everything in this situation felt late from the start.
The PGA Tour and commissioner Jay Monahan did finally step in and make an adjustment to the status quo by announcing no fans would be allowed at tournaments starting Friday at The Players and that protocol would be enforced through the Valero Texas Open at the beginning of April.
This certainly felt like a step in the right direction, but it was also a step taken far too late. Thousands of fans entered the gates at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday and they all piled into tight spaces, which is the exact opposite of what everyone is being advised to do right now.
