The PGA Tour decided shortly after midnight ET on Thursday to go ahead with the first round of the Players Championship, despite numerous sports leagues canceling or suspending play.
The first round of the Players Championship will go on as scheduled on Thursday and fans will be allowed on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The first groups are set to tee off at 7:40 a.m. ET.
The Tour’s decision came after a breathless night of developments in the sports world that began when the NCAA announced it would hold its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments without fans because of the coronavirus.
In quick succession, the NBA announced it was suspending its season and shortly after that announcement it was revealed that Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Tour’s statement says it will “absolutely continue to review recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization and local health administrations. This is obviously a very fluid situation that requires constant review, communication and transparency.”
The Tour also stated that it will have another update at noon ET on Thursday and said that fans who now don’t want to go can request a refund, with details on how to obtain a refund to be “announced shortly”.
