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TSN Senior Reporter

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It’s a rare occasion when Corey Conners’ biggest fan isn’t walking outside the ropes watching his every swing. This week is one of those times.

Conners’ wife, Mallory, has been a fixture at his side at just about every PGA Tour stop since he reached the big leagues. She gained notoriety when she was captured on television going through an emotional roller coaster watching her husband’s first win at the Valero Texas Open last year.

But this week, she’s at home and will tune in on TV. That’s due to the protocols in place for the restart of the season at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, which advised against bringing family to the tournament.

“I used to go alone when I was playing the Mackenzie Tour and the Korn Ferry [tour],” said Conners when asked about the last time he went on the road without his wife. “It will be tough to do this over an extended period of time, but it was great to spend the last few months together.”

There are a lot of adjustments to make in this restart of the PGA Tour and Conners got a taste of that when he got to Colonial Country Club, from the pre-tournament testing to the social distancing.

“I think the Tour has done a good job making it feel as normal as possible,” he stated. “Everyone is really being cautious.”

The differences from a pre-pandemic stop on the PGA Tour are plentiful. The sprawling range is spread out with large gaps between stations. Players scoop their own practice balls out of a large bin rather than having them handed to them in small bags. The two putting greens at Colonial have extra holes cut in them so it’s possible for competitors to stay six feet apart and work on their strokes.

In the locker room, normally a place where players congregate, it’s a quick in and out. Food service is a grab-and-go format with no formal dining area. There is also no storage area for equipment, so Conners has been taking his gear back to his hotel with him at the end of the day, reminiscent of his time in amateur golf. 

“It’s not a big deal for the most part,” Conners said.

The Listowel, Ont., product is staying at one of the designated hotels, designed to keep the players inside a virtual bubble. There are restaurants in the facility that have prepared meals for room delivery, knowing most of the guests would be hunkered down. Some local establishments around the hotel are also offering take out, but for the most part, downtown Fort Worth is pretty quiet compared to past years.

On the course, most things are routine with the exception of social distancing. The player-caddie two-step is the new way in which the team interacts, with the player now pulling the club, cleaning it after the shot, and replacing it in the bag. The caddie lifts, totes, drops and moves out of the way.

Conners knows how important this week is for perception. The sports world, starved for some live entertainment, will be watching. But he’s also realistic that not everything will go smoothly in the early going.

“We’re so used to doing it one way that inevitably there will be some slip-ups,” he said. “But I have a pretty good sense of my surroundings and I think everyone will be making an effort to follow the guidelines.”

There were certainly a few breaches of the social distancing protocols on Tuesday as players manoeuvred around Colonial. That’s why the tour has a safety group that will patrols the course to remind everyone of the protocols when they see any infractions.

As for his game, Conners said he is feeling very positive about the way he’s playing. He’s worked hard on his swing back at his home in Florida and played well in some of the competitive games he’s had with friends. Despite the long layoff for everyone, he’s expecting the calibre of golf to be high this week.

“I think for the most part everyone’s been working hard,” he said. “The level of competitor out here is so good you can expect some good play.”

The desire to get back to playing was clearly evident on Tuesday, with a packed golf course full of players trying to figure out the historic layout and get used to the new surroundings without grandstands, corporate tents or fans.

The biggest loss will certainly be the galleries, which can heighten emotions with a cheer or a groan. What if, for instance, a player drained a 40-foot putt on the final hole to win a tournament in front of, well, almost no one?

“It’s funny to think about something like that,” said Conners. “It will be a big difference, but there’s going to be a winner on Sunday, people there or not.”

If the tournament runs smoothly, returns no positive COVID tests and presents itself as four days of live, exciting sports, then golf and the PGA Tour will be winners too.