Coronavirus Era: Does having no fans help any players in particular?

There is a new normal in professional sports, and that is empty stadiums, octagons, and in the PGA Tour’s case – golf courses. Seemingly gone are the days of mangled fans screaming Mashed Potatoes! Or Get in the Hole! Off of a drive on a par 5.

You would think that with the absence of fans, competitors would be free of distractions and the added pressure of having thousands of people scrutinizing their every move. Allowing them to reach their untapped potential. Not so fast.

My opinion is that this fan free PGA reality helps certain players and hurts others. The players that are the most negatively affected are the top players in the world who have an established fan base. I’m talking about the Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Rory Mcilroy, Phil Mickelson. The superstars. These guys rely on the roars from the gallery after a birdie putt and an adoring gallery offering words of encouragement following a disappointing bogey.

It is the under the radar guy, like Collin Morikawa or Daniel Berger who thrives under the current environment. Guys like him are fresh out of college, full of talent, and accustomed to playing golf with no one watching! As the pressure builds, they don’t have to face the mass of fans cheering them on or heckling them. It is a completely different environment that has to throw off some of the top players who have been around for a while.

Imagine Augusta National on Sunday at the Masters without fans. Unimaginable. Picture this scenario: 5 guys tied for the lead on the back nine on Sunday. Rory hits a 20 foot eagle putt on 15 to take the lead. Not a sound can be heard besides the fake bird sounds piped into the broadcast by CBS. No thanks.

The fact of the matter is everyone needs to get used to the new situation. A lack of fans is a pretty weak excuse for poor play, but no one can deny that it is having an impact on the tour. Let’s hope it’s short lived and we can get back to hearing drunken baba booey’s in the middle of Tiger’s backswing.