SANDWICH, England – Following last year’s cancellation amid the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Open Championship returns with dramatically increased scrutiny.
With the United Kingdom still adhering to strict pandemic restrictions, players, caddies and officials have been forced into a bubble similar to that used when the PGA Tour restarted its schedule last year. Players are not allowed to socialize outside their “buddy bubble” and to stay within their own “exclusive use accommodation at all times (including dinner)” when not playing or practicing at Royal St. George’s.
But even with those increased protocols, the R&A is bracing for what they concede is inevitable.