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PGA Tour to allow limited number of fans at Bermuda Championship

September 29, 2020
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Cliff Hawkins

The PGA Tour will permit a limited number of fans to attend the Bermuda Championship, set for Oct. 29-Nov. 1 at Port Royal Golf Course, according to a release.

While this will not be the first event since the COVID-19 hiatus to hold spectators—last week’s Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in the Dominican Republic allowed 500 invited guests per day—this will be the first event to allow the general public, and the first to allow them to walk the golf course. At Corales, fans were confined to two viewing areas near the 16th and 17th hole.

“Excitement continues to build as preparations come together for our second year,” Sean Sovacool, tournament director, said in the release. “Along with the recently announced tournament adjustments, being the first PGA Tour event to welcome spectators on-site is a milestone the Bermuda Championship is proud to have achieved. Additional opportunities remain to take part in other capacities—including entertaining in our hospitality venue, playing alongside a Tour professional in our Pro-Am, or participating as a marshal volunteer.”

Tickets for the Bermuda Championship went on sale to the general public on Monday, and the daily allowance will be determined by the island’s public-gathering regulations. According to the release, both Bermuda residents and visitors will be permitted to attend the event in person.

Spectators will be subject to a temperature check upon entry and are required to wear face masks around the golf course. Six-feet social distancing guidelines will be enforced and sanitizer will be available throughout the venue.

It’s worth noting that the pandemic’s impact on Bermuda has been relatively light, with the island having less than 200 confirmed cases and just nine deaths. No PGA Tour event in the United States has permitted spectators since the Players Championship in March, and the Masters—scheduled for two weeks after the Bermuda Championship—will be closed to the general public.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has not committed to a timeline, but there is some belief that the tour will wait until early 2021 to welcome fans back to its tournaments in the U.S.

Brendon Todd will defend his title at Port Royal after his 24-under total was good for a four-shot victory in the inaugural Bermuda Championship last year, which was played opposite the WGC-HSBC Champions event in China. The Bermuda Championship has been promoted to full-event status for this year, meaning a full 500 FedEx Cup points will be allotted to the winner, as well as a spot in the 2021 Masters. The purse has also been increased from $3 million to $4 million.