Coronavirus pandemic
Not fantastic without fans: Koepka
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American Brooks Koepka believes fans are a vital part of a tournament as they provide players with energy while helping them find foul balls.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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LOS ANGELES • World No. 3 Brooks Koepka is bracing himself for a "weird" experience of playing golf tournaments without fans as the PGA Tour eyes a return to competition in June.
The 2019-20 season, which was halted on March 12 due to Covid-19, is scheduled to resume with the June 11-14 Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.
While there have been individual rounds without fans like at last year's Zozo Championship, the 2017 Farmers Insurance Open and the 2012 AT&T National, the Charles Schwab event is set to become the first tournament in Tour history to be staged behind closed doors for all four rounds.
On the prospect of teeing off on empty greens over coronavirus concerns, Koepka told the Pardon My Take sports podcast: "It's going to be so weird, man.
"The energy that the fans bring, that's what we all live for, we all strive for. You want to play coming down the stretch and have everyone cheering for you.
"Imagine this. You sink the putt on the last hole and no one's clapping. You're just there by yourself, and you're like, 'Yes!' Just you, your caddie and just silence."
The lack of a gallery could also have a more concrete effect as well.
"Every once in a while, we hit some foul balls and the fans kind of help you find it," Koepka said. "Guys are going to lose balls because of that."
His comments came after the Tour confirmed the Charles Schwab Challenge will be the first of four tournaments that will be played without fans in attendance.
The RBC Heritage in South Carolina, the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, and the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit are scheduled to follow.
As for whether fans will be allowed back onto golf courses after that sequence of events, Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said his organisation will continue to follow the guidance of local and state health authorities.
British Open champion Shane Lowry is, however, unperturbed over the presence of spectators, or the lack thereof, especially after such an enforced break from the sport. The world No. 20 told the BBC yesterday: "Yes, it will different but to be honest, I wouldn't really care. I will just be happy to be back playing tournament golf - any sort of golf as I haven't touched a club in nearly four weeks now."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE