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A real headache is emerging for the PGA Tour as Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the Travelers Championship. Koepka’s caddie Ricky Elliott tested positive for Covid-19 a day after Graeme McDowell’s caddie had a positive test. The two caddies recently attended a funeral and McDowell’s caddie Ken Comboy had to take a commercial flight after the Charles Schwab Challenge. Koepka told Golfweek “I’m going to pull out to protect everybody else. I think it’s the right thing to do. “I don’t want to risk anyone’s life if they have respiratory issues or underlying conditions. The only way this Tour can continue is if guys to do this sort of thing and be proactive about it.” Elliot, Koepka and his coach Claude Harmon III all had negative tests on Monday. The fact that Elliot tested positive following of a further test taken as a precaution after a practice round with Graeme McDowell on Tuesday came as a shock to all. “Ricky has my full support in this. I feel bad for him,” the four-time major winner said. “We have got to do everything we can not to spread it. We have to protect the field. That’s the reason we have these rules.” Said Koepka. Team Koepka had been operating a strict lockdown for all those in the bubble. Team members are only allowed out of the rented homes to go to the course or get tested. The exception was when Elliott attended a funeral with McDowell and Comboy for a close friend in Orlando. The withdrawal of Koepka and McDowell follows the positive test for Nick Watney and Cameron Champ. The PGA Tour has a rigorous testing procedure but as demonstrated, they rely on players and their teams strictly exercising social distancing protocols.
