Playing To The Galleries Again

For the first time since March, thousands of fans will be present at a professional golf tournament.

The milestone will be set this weekend at the Sanford International, a PGA Tour Champions event taking place in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as roughly 10,000 people are expected to come through the turnstiles each day of the 54-hole tournament. On paper, it’s just another senior circuit event with the expected cast of characters – save for golfer/musician Colt Ford making his tour debut – but the success or failure of the fan experiment will be a significant indicator for how quickly the pro golf world can return to normalcy.

Hollis Cavner, chief executive officer of Pro Links Sports, which operates the Sanford International and three PGA Tour events, spoke with Global Golf Post on the eve of the tournament.

“We’ve had calls from all over the country and even overseas with people saying they’re glad we are doing this because this gives us a chance to get back to normal,” Cavner said. “Every eye in golf is on ...