PGA Tour to allow sponsor guests on site at future events

A week after the PGA Tour moved to finish this season without fans or pro-ams, the circuit revealed to players on Wednesday that tournament or sponsor “guests” will be allowed on-site at certain events.

In an e-mail that was sent to players, the Tour outlined its new “hosted experiences” that will include as many as 50 guests a day. The guests will be allowed on-site only on competition days and will not be allowed to walk the golf course.

“With the recent decision to not allow spectators or a pro-am at PGA Tour events through the Tour Championship, it is necessary to provide new or reimagined ways to deliver value to our title sponsors and host organizations,” the memo read. “We have concluded we can successfully host a small number of sponsor guests on-site in a safe manner that will provide critical value to our key partners.”

The Tour also plans to restart its honorary observers program beginning at next week’s WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. The plan is to allow 16 two-person groups each competition day walking outside the ropes. Those in the hosted experiences and honorary observers will go through on-site screening for COVID-19.

The Tour plans to have the hosted experience at the Wyndham Championship, BMW Championship and Tour Championship.

The circuit also plans to introduce a virtual player engagement program to fill the sponsorship void left by the cancellation of pro-ams. Up to 30 players will be required to participate in the program each Wednesday.

The Tour will also allow player spouses and significant others on-site beginning in Memphis. Spouses and significant others will only be allowed on-site during competition days and will not have access to the clubhouse or other indoor facilities.