PGA Tour players who previously tested positive for COVID won’t get special groupings

The PGA Tour informed players Tuesday it will remove unnecessary restrictions on individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 and met criteria to return to competition.

Based on updated CDC guidelines and in consultation with the CDC and the PGA Tour’s medical advisors, the Tour’s Health and Safety Plan will now allow players who have tested positive and then been cleared to return to competition to be placed in normal groupings.

This follows the Tour adjusting tee times the evening before the first round of the Workday Charity Open so Dylan Frittelli, Denny McCarthy and Nick Watney — who had all previously tested positive for the virus and recovered — could compete in a group after each was cleared to return.

The Tour also said it will not subject individuals who have recovered from the virus to PCR testing for three months following the onset of symptoms for symptomatic players or the date of the first positive test for asymptomatic players.

Ahead of returning to play, affected players will consult with the PGA Tour’s medical team who will determine if each player meets the CDC guidelines to return to work.

The change is effective immediately.

Previously, the Tour reduced the period which a symptomatic positive must be fever-free in order to conclude isolation and return to work from 72 hours to 24 hours. The change was in accordance with CDC guidance as of July 17.

The change will be in effect for this week’s WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and the Barracuda Championship as well as the Korn Ferry Tour.

As of Tuesday, seven players and two caddies on the PGA Tour have tested positive for the virus. The most recent was Grayson Murray on July 20 ahead of the 3M Open.