PGA Tour pros eligible for $100,000 if test positive for coronavirus

PGA Tour players that test positive for coronavirus are eligible to receive as much as $100,000 providing they follow the circuit's health and safety guidelines during the two-week self-isolation process, according to an article in Golfweek.

The news came to light during PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan's press conference on Wednesday ahead of the Travelers Championship, which has already seen a number of withdrawals from the tournament as a result of coronavirus.

Nick Watney last week became the first PGA Tour pro to test positive for coronavirus, and he was this week followed by Cameron Champ who also tested positive. 

The caddies of Graeme McDowell and Brooks Koepka also tested positive this week, which saw both McDowell and Koepka pull out of the tournament, and Webb Simpson also withdrew from the event after a family member had tested positive for COVID-19.

"We have developed a program, a stipend program, for players on our tours, if they were to test positive during the week or during competition, and to be able to be eligible for those protocols, we’ve just reconfirmed for our players, you must follow our protocols in order to qualify for the stipend," said Monahan. 

Ian Poulter recently broadcast the process a Tour pro goes through when it comes to being tested for coronavirus via his Instagram page. 

Players take a saliva test prior to boarding a charter plane from tournament to tournament, and then they receive a nasal swab test when checking into the event. 

According to reports, PGA Tour players who test positive are eligible for up to $100,000, while caddies are eligible for $10,000. Players and caddies must, however, follow all the protocols put in place in order to receive a stipend issued by the Tour.