Philippines golf tour resumes in bubble set-up

MANILA, Philippines — A  two-tournament “bubble” marks the restart of the Philippine Golf Tour, forced to go on an eight-month hiatus due to COVID-19 pandemic, with the men’s and ladies circuits to be held on Nov. 17-20 and Dec. 8-11 at Riviera’s Couples and Langers courses, respectively, in Silang, Cavite.

The resumption is aimed not only at providing opportunities for the pros but underscoring that golf can live up to its reputation as one of the safer sports allowed to re-start in new normal times.

“The management of Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. has studied the possibility of scheduling two tournaments to end the year and presented our COVID-19 protocols and new guidelines to the Games and Amusements Board and Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for their approval,” said PGTI general manager Colo Ventosa.

Two events were actually held before the global health crisis mid-March – the ICTSI Pradera Classic, a spillover tournament capping the third season of PGT Asia last January, and The Country Club Invitational, the flagship event of each PGT season, last March.

But very little about the last tournament would be like the opening round of the re-start of the circuit as the pros will return to a new set of rules and safety protocols, including restricting the players’ movements inside the bubble.