PGA Tour: Vaccinated golfers, caddies no longer have to test for COVID-19

ESPN's Bob Harig reported on Tuesday that the PGA Tour recently sent a memo saying that players and caddies who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer need to take coronavirus tests at tournament sites to participate. 

"As the COVID-19 vaccine is becoming more readily available, more individuals are being vaccinated," the Tour explained in the memo shared by Harig. "PGA Tour Health and Safety protocol requires individuals to continue testing onsite under 14 full days have passed since their second dose (Moderna & Pfizer) or 14 full days since their single dose (Johnson & Johnson). Once 14 days have passed, individuals are no longer required to take a COVID-19 test when considered 'inside the bubble' at PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions or Korn Ferry Tour events." 

This follows both the NFL and MLB offering to relax COVID-19 health and safety protocols for teams that hit a certain percentage of vaccinated personnel. Like the so-called "big four" North American professional leagues, the PGA is not mandating vaccinations for players, caddies and others needed to complete tournaments. 

"I think the most important thing right now is education, and then we're going to do everything we can to support vaccination for our players when it's appropriate to do so," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said last month. 

Monahan also said at that time he wasn't planning on limiting fan attendance for tournaments only to patrons who are fully vaccinated. 

Players and others who elect against getting vaccine shots must still test negative for COVID-19 to participate in future PGA events per current guidelines.