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The tour said all 487 tests of players, caddies and essential personnel were negative. On the course, players are to make every effort to practice social distancing and “show best practices for playing golf to our fans watching the telecast.”

The PGA Tour is not simply picking up where it left off. Very little about the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial resembles the opening round of The Players Championship on March 12, the last professional golf played before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down golf and most everything else. Players return to a new set of rules, starting with mandatory tests for the coronavirus when they first arrive and having their temperatures taken before they can get to the parking lot.

The tour said all 487 tests of players, caddies and essential personnel were negative. On the course, players are to make every effort to practice social distancing and “show best practices for playing golf to our fans watching the telecast.” Good thing Wednesday’s activity wasn’t shown on TV.

Players and caddies exchanged clubs (players are supposed to handle the clubs themselves). Caddies were not wiping down the flagsticks or bunker rakes after use. Social distancing felt more like a guideline. It was just like normal in a return that is supposed to be anything but that.