While most sports have shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a US third-tier women’s golf tour is playing through, aided by a ruling declaring Arizona courses essential businesses — and where a winner’s prize has included a toilet roll.
The Cactus Tour is to stage its 12th 54-hole event of the year, and the third since major US sports went silent, today at Sun City Country Club in Arizona.
There are precautions to allow for safety, and to cut the chances of spreading or contracting the coronavirus, with players only in pairs so that they can adhere to distancing guidelines.
Photo: AP
While last week’s top prize was only US$2,800, it brought winner Sarah Burnham an even more prized treasure seldom seen on the shelves of stores these days.
“They gave some toilet paper,” Burnham told the Detroit News. “He was like: ‘Here’s a little extra prize for the winner.’”
She described the atmosphere to the newspaper, such as no rakes in bunkers and players leaving the flags in the cups, which were partly filled with pieces of pool noodles — children’s foam swimming toys — so players could more easily reclaim their ball.
“We practiced all the social distancing guidelines and stuff like that,” Burnham said. “It’s not like a huge group.”
Burnham had played one event of her second LPGA season in Australia when the campaign shut down. It is not set to return until May 14, with no assurance that date could hold given the growing healthcare crisis.
Two weeks ago, it was two-time major winner Anna Nordqvist of Sweden who won a US$2,000 top prize in Phoenix, Arizona, beating compatriot Lisa Pettersson on the second hole of a playoff.
Nordqvist is an eight-time LPGA winner whose first title was a major, the 2009 LPGA Championship, and whose most recent win was also a major, the 2017 Evian Championship.
What has helped the Cactus Tour continue while the LPGA and its top developmental tour have shut down is a decision by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey to classify golf courses as “essential” businesses, to remain open while many others are closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
There has been criticism, but the players are happy to have the chance to compete.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with the feedback from the girls, which is all I care about,” Cactus Tour owner Mike Brown told Golfweek.
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