Team GolfXYZ
South African professional Dylan Fritelli has tested positive for Covid-19 during the PGA TOUR’s pre-charter testing process.
While the PGA Tour has arranged for charter flights from one venue to another, players and caddies who use it have to take a test before boarding the flight. Fritelli missed the cut at RBC Heritage and was awaiting his flight to the next venue for Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.
Frittelli, who was T-8 at RBC Heritage, missed the cut at the Travelers Championship, has been withdrawn from next week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic field. The PGA Tour in a statement said that he will have the PGA TOUR’s full support throughout his self-isolation period under CDC guidelines.
Fritelli, winner of John Deere Classic in 2019, was earlier deprived of a chance to defend his title as the event was recently cancelled, making way for the Workday Charity Open.
“I am experiencing no issues and feel great physically and was surprised and disappointed to learn of the positive test today,” said Frittelli. “I’m thankful for the WHOOP strap notification of a minor increase [0.3] in my respiratory rate overnight. However, I’m most thankful for the TOUR’s assistance, procedures and protocols, which I will continue to follow during my self-isolation, so as to keep everyone safe. I look forward to getting back on TOUR once it’s safe to do so.”
The PGA TOUR has implemented its response plan in consultation with medical experts, including working with those who may have had close contact with Frittelli. After conducting necessary contact tracing, the TOUR’s medical advisors are not recommending any additional testing at this time.
Frittelli is the fourth PGA TOUR player to test positive for Coronavirus since the PGA TOUR’s Return to Golf on June 11. Nick Watney tested positive at last week’s RBC Heritage, while Cameron Champ and Denny McCarthy also tested positive earlier this week.
Fritelli won his maiden European Tour title at Lyoness Open in June 2017 and the same year in December he won the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open beating India’s Arjun Atwal in a play-off.
He broke through on the PGA Tour in 2019 when he won the John Deere Classic. He was ranked as high as No, 44 in the world at one time.
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