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While he does have some concerns over quarantine guidelines, English golfer Matt Wallace is confident the PGA Tour will be able to ensure player safety when it resumes.
After reading through the new guidelines announced by the PGA Tour this week for their return to action on 11 June, Wallace admitted to feeling a little concerned when he read that any player who tests positive for Covid-19 will have to self-isolate for a period of 14 days.
"When I saw that, that put me off straight away I thought 'wow, I hope I don't test positive because I know there are some people who have the coronavirus but don't show symptoms," he told Sky Sports News.
"So I keep thinking to myself 'am I one of those people?'. But I did also see that if it's safe for you to drive you can, so hopefully I wouldn't be too far away and I could drive back and self-isolate at home."
The new PGA Tour guidelines will see players tested at home before even travelling to an event, and upon arrival in a host city they will have to undergo four stages of screening: a questionnaire, temperature reading, nasal swab or saliva test and an antibody test.
The Tour expects that all players, caddies and officials will stay in the same hotel, and even travel together on chartered flights.
"I've got trust in the PGA Tour that they're sending us out there when it's safe. I think it will work. Will it drive some players and caddies crazy? Absolutely," Wallace said.
"People want to do their own thing and on the European Tour, it's a little bit different because a lot of players already do get the same flight. Over here on the PGA Tour, a lot of people do their own thing."
Wallace has spoken to several golfers, including fellow countryman Matt Fitzpatrick, about sharing private jets between events, but isn't convinced it will be feasible.
"Would it be better for us to not have to go to airports, which will be healthier and safer for us? I've also spoken with my team and my managers and it might even be safer to go with this charter flight because everyone on board will be tested and clean."
As for the action on the course, players and caddies will have to make 'every effort' to socially distance during rounds, and Wallace joked that it wouldn't be a problem.
"I was speaking to Eddie Pepperell and he said 'does that mean we have to go and pick up our own clubs when we throw them?!' We'll have to get used to doing that, it's going to be new for everybody but I'm looking forward to getting back to competing and if that means I have to stay six feet away from my caddie, then that's the way we'll have to go."
As for the prospect of playing without fans, Wallace said it wouldn't bother him as much as players who are used to playing in front of huge crowds, although he admits it will be a little bit strange.
"I'll be really interested to see if I get nervous on the 1st or the 18th tee with no one around. I enjoy people watching me, because then my intensity levels go up and I focus more. I'm going to have to bring that myself," he said.
"It'll be strange for that first person lifting that trophy with not many people around or holing the winning putt with no one clapping him, but fingers crossed that'll be me and I'll be waving to nobody!"
- TEAMtalk media
