SILVIS — The airplane carrying players from the John Deere Classic in Silvis to the United Kingdom for the upcoming Open Championship at the Royal St George's Golf Club will be noticeably less cramped.
COVID-19 travel restrictions have presented challenges in accommodating the chartered flight bound for the major championship, longtime JDC tournament director Clair Peterson said.
"I learned a lot about airflow in an airplane," Peterson said — way more than he ever wanted or expected to have to know.
He noted individuals face minimal risk of contracting the coronavirus when flying because of high air exchange rates, HEPA-filtered recirculation and downward ventilation found on modern jets. The plane is also sanitized.
"It was all way above where anyone would have concern with it," Peterson said.
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The 100-seat Boeing 767 wide-bodied jet, though, will carry roughly half its normal contingent this year to minimize the risk of transmitting COVID-19.
The direct chartered flight that leaves the United States at 8 p.m. on Sunday and arrives in the United Kingdom at noon on Monday will be limited to players, caddies, agents and trainers. Family members will not be allowed to accompany players on the flight, a significant departure from prior years, Peterson said. And players will be limited to an entourage of up to three support personnel.Â
"Family members are not considered support staff, so a spouse, for example, if they go over have to quarantine for 10 days," Peterson said. "We've got about 45 people right now that are going on the plane. We have't turned anybody away. In year's past, we have had as many 80 to 90 seats filled on the plane."
Only one person will be allowed to sit in each two-seat module to allow social distancing.
The biggest wrinkle, however, presented this year in providing the direct flight has been integrating COVID-19 testing requirements to comply with UK travel protocols, Peterson said.
While players will be exempt from normal quarantine requirements for travel to the UK, they will have to provide a valid certificate showing a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival in the UK. Players as well will be required to complete another PCR test upon arrival to Royal St. George's.
"We're doing those PCR tests for the people here Sunday starting at noon, so we're well within that 72-hour window," Peterson said.
Testing tents and a trailer with a mobile lab were set up in the parking lot of Deere & Co. world headquarters to facilitate testing.
"Should the winner of the JDC earn an exemption to play in the Open Championship and be among one of the last groups, we'll get he and his caddie at a minimum tested and shuttle that test to the lab. ... And it takes 90 minutes to turn that around so we should still be in fine shape to take off at 8 p.m. Sunday," Peterson said.
Since 2004, the R&A has awarded the highest finishing player at the JDC not otherwise exempt the final spot in the Open Championship, so long as he finished in the top five and ties.
"When we land, the ground plan is to have very nice motor coaches where the players will sit in a similar configuration to how they were sitting on the plane," Peterson said. "They'll take a 90-minute trip to another test site in the UK close to Royal St. George's, where they'll be tested again. And, with a negative result, will be off and running in their pursuit of the Open Championship.
Normally, the only issue the JDC winner has encountered in taking the direct flight to the Open "is to check passports," Peterson said.
"It's still a much easier and better way for the players to go over than if they were to go on a commercial flight," he said. "Because, if there's a positive test on a commercial flight in your cabin, either your first-class cabin or business-class cabin or coach, your whole cabin is quarantined. So they've lost their opportunity to play."
Kevin Na withdrew from the Open Championship Thursday because of the strict international travel requirements to get to England amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Na was replaced by two-time major champion Martin Kaymer.
"It was a tough decision, but for my family and me it is best to skip the Open this year," Na said in a statement. "I will be back next year. It is one of my favorite weeks, and I would love to hold the Claret Jug one day."
Na, ranked No. 40 this week, qualified by being among the top 50 in the world rankings after the PGA Championship. He was the eighth player, not including past champions, to withdraw. South Korean Olympic qualifiers Sunjae Im and Si Woo Kim withdrew in order to prepare for the Olympic Games.
For more exclusive coverage from the John Deere Classic, go to https://qconline.com/exclusive/jdc/.Â
