PGA Tour ‘safest place to be’

Watch the Rocket Mortgage Classic live on Thursday from 11.45 on Sky Sports Golf

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World number six Webb Simpson believes the PGA Tour is the ‘safest place anyone can be in the United States right now’, despite the increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases.

Webb Simpson believes the PGA Tour is the “safest place anyone can be in the United States right now”, despite the increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases.

Simpson, who won his seventh PGA Tour title at the RBC Heritage, withdrew from last week’s Travelers Championship – as a precaution – after his daughter received a positive coronavirus test.

Simpson’s RBC Heritage victory

Report and highlights from Webb Simpson’s victory at the RBC Heritage.

Chad Campbell became the sixth PGA Tour player in 12 days to test positive for COVID-19 and withdrew from this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, following on from Nick Watney, Cameron Champ, Denny McCarthy, Dylan Frittelli and Harris English, although Simpson feels safe to return to action.

“I applaud the PGA TOUR and everything they’ve done and are doing to keep us safe,” Simpson said. “I mentioned to the commissioner [Jay Monahan] last week that based on our numbers, our stats, I told him the safest place anyone can be in the United States right now is on the PGA Tour.

Simpson is making his tournament debut in Detroit

“The lengths that the Tour is going to make sure everyplace we go is safe and secure and our testing and all that, I feel very good about being out here.

“I’m just happy to be out here and playing golf. The next few weeks looks bright for us, it looks like we’re going to continue on, which I’m really thankful for.”

Simpson’s daughter, along with all of his family, subsequently tested negative for COVID-19, allowing the world No 6 to feature at Detroit Golf Club for the fourth tournament back since the tournament’s restart.

Champ was another to test negative after initially receiving a positive test, but Simpson supports the decision to take a cautious approach and believes players are starting to take the threat more seriously.

Simpson currently leads the FedExCup standings and is the highest-ranked player in action this week

“I do think the elephant in the room and the tough thing that they’re dealing with every week is these positives,” Simpson added. “That guys are feeling great and then they test negative after that and another test negative.

“You know, two negative tests in a row I guess is what I’m trying to say. It’s hard to know. I know that those are unfortunate situations and they have to be safe about it, take the safe side even if they think it could have been a false-positive.

“This being the fourth tournament, I think guys are so aware of how easy it is to catch this disease that I think everyone else is becoming more strict.

“That first week at Colonial there were still fist bumps after the round, closer contact I think on the range or player dining. There’s way less of that now. Now, nobody’s touching; maybe an elbow here or there. I’m definitely seeing how it’s affecting everyone, not just those who have had contact with someone.”

Watch the Rocket Mortgage Classic throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 11.45am on Sky Sports Golf and midday on Sky Sports Main Event.

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