The John Deere Classic will be one of the last tournaments to require COVID-19 testing for players, caddies and essential personnel.
The PGA plans to stop the required testing starting the week of the 3M Open that begins on July 22.
PGA Tour spokeswoman Amanda Herrington said the decision was made after consultation with PGA Tour medical advisors who felt vaccination rates on the Tour and across the county were high enough to no longer require testing as a condition of competition, beginning after the British Open.
The tour, which does not require vaccinations to compete, has not disclosed how many players, caddies or other participants have been vaccinated. Herrington on Thursday said she could not say what the vaccination rate was.
She said on-site testing will still be available for those who develop symptoms.
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While unvaccinated people will not have to undergo testing, GolfDigest reported vaccinated individuals will not have to undergo contact tracing should they be around someone who has COVID-19, while those who haven’t been vaccinated must notify the tour and follow contact tracing protocols.
GolfDigest also reported that since testing began, more than 25 tour players have tested positive for COVID-19, including some of the game’s most high-profile athletes.
Jon Rahm was forced to withdraw as the leader following the third round of The Memorial Tournament after he tested positive for COVID-19 with a 6-shot lead heading into the final day of the Memorial.
Since then, more Tour participants have gotten vaccinated, John Deere Classic Media Director Barry Cronin said.
