‘Strange’ and ‘odd’ atmosphere for the TOUR’s official return

FORT WORTH, Texas – OK, so the Charles Schwab Challenge was not completely void of fans in Thursday’s Return to Golf.

Over at the No. 2 tee box, six young adults stood just outside the chain-link fence that surrounds the outer perimeter of Colonial Country Club. A guy wearing a bike helmet hovered a few feet away, and four more people peered over the high row of hedges that hides the fence from public view.

At the No. 3 green, there appeared to be a makeshift hospitality tent on the other side of Colonial Parkway. Five people were enjoying the unblocked view. The family dog may have been accompanying them.

Another handful of fans clung to the fence behind the No. 4 tee box. Had they looked to their left, they would’ve seen the big manual leaderboard. But they needn’t bother. Despite half the field already done with their opening rounds, the leaderboard was untouched, void of numbers empty except for the permanently fixed hole and par listings at the top.

On the other end of the property, around holes 15 and 16, first-round co-leader Justin Rose noticed “a couple of houses that have sort of built mini-stands. So there might be a couple of grandstands just off property here where there might be a small gathering of people on the weekend.

“But we’ll see.”

While the PGA TOUR returned Thursday with its first competitive round in 91 days, the fans officially did not. Safety concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic will keep them off course property for the first few weeks, thus making for a unique environment for the world’s best golfers to operate.

“Feels odd,” said Brian Harman, who shot a 5-under 65 while playing in the first threesome to tee off Thursday.

“Obviously different,” added playing partner Ryan Palmer, a Colonial member.

“Strange, to be honest,” said Jhonattan Vegas after his 64.

“Certainly awkward,” said Phil Mickelson after his thumb’s-up total probably reached a new low.

“Interesting,” noted Bryson DeChambeau, whose own approach to golf pretty much defines the meaning of that word.

“Quite subdued,” said Rose, whose 7-under 63 is better than any of the four rounds he shot here as the winner two years ago.

Subdued definitely was a suitable description on the first and 10th tees when the name of each player was announced prior to teeing off. Generally, the starter will speak in a strong, authoritative tone so those within earshot can listen. But with no fans to engage, it felt more like a whisper Thursday. Nothing louder was needed.

And while ropes still line each hole, few people are around to threaten unauthorized access. After the world’s three highest-ranked players – Rory McIlroy (1), Jon Rahm (2) and Brooks Koepka (3) -- teed off in the early afternoon, their walk down the fairway was accompanied by six people (including four media types); the aforementioned Rose (who had finished his round and was driving his own cart); and 1987 champion Keith Clearwater (headed to the range with his caddie).

Normally, that kind of star-power would have elicited galleries several deep. But this is the new normal now, at least temporarily.

“It's what we have to do,” McIlroy had said earlier in the week. “It's what we're going to have to live with for the foreseeable future.

“If that's what I have to adapt to to be able to get out here and play on TOUR and get back to work essentially, then I'm happy to do that.”

Fans, of course, will be watching from afar; online analytics and television ratings should reflect that, as sports fans finally get to quench their thirst for live competition. “It's going to be significant for a sustained period of time,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan, “given of quality of fields we have and the fact that we're on this run to complete the FedExCup Playoffs.”

The players are happy to provide the kind of entertainment that we’ve needed during these troubling and testing times. But without the support of galleries, without their buzz and energy to feed off, the atmosphere was definitely impacted.

“I told my caddie early on, I didn't feel like I was hitting it as far because my adrenaline wasn't up,” said reigning U.S. Open champ Gary Woodland, who normally would’ve enjoyed the packed crowds that follow Mickelson, one of his playing partners Thursday. “It's a big deal.”

At the 162-yard 13th, Sung Kang struck a brilliant 9-iron. He heard "some claps" but it wasn't until he and his caddie were about to reach the green that they learned about his hole-in-one.

"It wasn't really crazy," Kang said. "Nobody was really up there, only a few people out there just clapping a little bit. I still appreciated it, though."

When Harold Varner III joined Rose atop the leaderboard with a birdie at the 18th, he heard one person clapping. OK, maybe two. He couldn't tell for sure, since a cameraman seeking to get his reaction got a little too close for comfort.

"He came out of nowhere, and I was like, whoa," Varner said. "... Just have to do the best I can to social distance."

For the featured group of McIlroy/Rahm/Koepka, the first two holes produced a combined five birdies … and zero claps. No oohs and aahs at the par-4 second when Rahm’s approach shot finished 3-1/2 feet away, followed by Koepka’s to inside 3 feet.

At the notorious par-4 fifth, traditionally the hardest hole at Colonial, McIlroy had to scramble after his tee shot drifted left into the rough, forcing him to navigate around some trees with an approach shot that found the greenside bunker on the right. It was the first time McIlroy had ever played the hole in competition, and he managed to save par with a putt from just outside 15 feet.

It was a terrific battle between one of the country’s best golf holes and the world’s top-ranked golfer. Less than a dozen people were on hand to witness it.

At some point, once life is safe again and fears of a deadly virus subside, the galleries will return. Fans will line the fairways. Birdies will produce cheers. Eagles will produce eruptions.

For now, though, this is the way it must be.

“We love the fans here in Fort Worth; they've been unbelievable. It's hard for us not to have them,” Commissioner Monahan said. “But I think they know how important it is for us, the PGA TOUR, to be here with this quality of field in Fort Worth sharing PGA TOUR golf with the world -- and we'll be back here with all of our fans hopefully next year.”