PGA Tour Shuts Down in Response to the Coronavirus

The multiple cancellations mean that Tiger Woods will not have the opportunity to play a tournament as a warm-up in the weeks before he tries to defend the Masters title that he won last year in a resounding career revival.

Citing problems with his surgically repaired back, Woods has withdrawn from the past two PGA Tour events and has not played competitively since the Genesis Invitational in mid-February, when he finished last among the players who made the cut and shot 76 and 77 in the final two rounds.

The PGA Tour’s decision followed similar moves by other major American sports leagues, including the N.B.A., MLB, N.H.L. and M.L.S., which had each suspended or postponed operations in the previous 24 hours because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The N.C.A.A. championships in all winter and spring sports were also canceled on Thursday.

After finishing their rounds at the Players Championship on Thursday, several players wondered whether the tournament would be completed.

Graeme McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open champion, called the situation “dynamic and changeable,” then added: “If somebody contracts the virus in the locker room, everything changes.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/sports/golf/players-championship-coronavirus.html