HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – COVID-19 testing has been a common topic the last two weeks on the PGA Tour as the circuit has gotten back on schedule, and this week, Ian Poulter gave those on social media a glimpse of exactly what testing means for players.
Poulter posted a 41-second video on Twitter receiving a nasal swab test on Wednesday at Harbour Town Golf Links and it’s 41 cringe-worthy seconds.
“It seemed like it was up there for a lot longer than it was last week,” said Poulter, who grabbed a share of the early lead at the RBC Heritage with a first-round 64. “I have to be honest, it's not really the actual test itself. It's the thought of the brush that seems to disappear so far in the middle of your head. It just feels very uncomfortable. It's just a bizarre sensation.”
Poulter tested negative for COVID-19 as did all of the players, caddies and officials tested this week at Harbour Town. It marks the second consecutive week the Tour didn’t have any positive coronavirus tests.
“It's a great start. I don't think the PGA Tour would have expected that,” he said. “They definitely would have expected a few people, certainly from as far and wide as people are traveling to come in and play golf. The potential for being compromised somewhere along the line, whether it's in a restaurant, whether it's filling your car up full of gas, there's so many different permutations to be able to be compromised.”
Two caddies on the Korn Ferry Tour tested positive for COVID-19 this week and three caddies and a player tested positive at last week’s event on the secondary circuit.