Qutab opens with an appeal; Rory, DJ win charity skins

By Rahul Banerji

It is becoming increasingly clear here will be no easy return to your next round of golf in the post-Corona virus lockdown scenario.

With clubs and courses playing the waiting game, little clarity is to be found despite the government on Sunday easing restrictions after phase three of the ongoing lockdown.

So far, only the Qutab Golf Course in Delhi has come out with clear guidelines and protocols on resuming “normal” activity. But each step is a cautious one, and wire-trapped with pre-conditions.

Not helping is the stop-start, wait-go approach of official agencies that on Sunday extended the Covid-19 lockdown into a fourth phase running till May 31.

Thus, it is now mandatory to download the government’s health app, Aarogya Setu, as a pre-condition to entering the course. A confirmed booking is another requirement.

Also, the course management has asked golfers to keep bookings down to nine holes so that more people get an opportunity to get in a long-delayed round.

Reproduced below is the QGC advisory circulated on the day:

Operations at QGC

“Qutab Golf Course will start its operations from May 21. Online booking will commence from 11 am on May 19 for May 21 and 22 and 11.30 am for May 23 and 24.

“Booking for the week starting from May 25 will commence from 11 am on May 22 (Friday) and shall continue till further orders as being done earlier. In case of any clarifications please call 4moles.com on 9958265656.

“Golfers are requested to download the Aarogya Setu App before entering the course.

“In view of the noght curfew from 7 pm to 7 am, the course timings will be from 7.30 am to 6.30 pm.

“It is recommended that members with playing rights and pay & play members book only for nine holes to give opportunity to maximum golfers to avail the facility.”

McIlroy, Johnson win skins charity match

On Sunday, world number one Rory McIlroy teamed up with Dustin Johnson to win the TaylorMade Driving Relief charity skins match against Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff in Florida.

In a statement, the PGA Tour said the two-time FedExCup champion edged Wolff in a sudden-death, closest-to-the-pin competition to earn six skins and edge Wolff and Fowler, 11-7, in the event supported by UnitedHealth Group.

In all, the charity match raised more than $5.5 million in COVID-19 relief at the historic Seminole Golf Club .

“I didn’t know whether to tell it to get up, get going, stay long or stay short,” said McIlroy.

“Matt hit a decent shot in. It’s only 120 yards, but it’s a tough shot, so to see it land on the green and stay there (was nice). These Seminole greens, the ball can do funny things when you think it’s in a good spot.”

‘Awesome day’

“I’m really happy,” he added. “It was an awesome day playing with D.J., Matt and Rickie, playing for a great cause. It’s been awesome, and it was nice to get back on the golf course and get back to some sort of normalcy.”

McIlroy and Johnson displayed little rust early on in winning three of their first six holes. But after building the 5-1 advantage, Fowler and Wolff surged into a 7-5 lead with birdies around the turn.

“I care so much and I’m trying to raise so much money, so I was a little nervous starting off the day,” said Wolff, who also won both long drive competitions on holes 2 and 14.

“But I settled down and I’m happy to raise a lot of money with the long drives.”

More golf

Golf’s return continues next Sunday at the Medalist Golf Club in South Florida when Tiger Woods takes on Phil Mickelson in The Match: Champions for Charity, alongside National Football League quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

That event will also benefit COVID-19 relief efforts.

The PGA Tour returns with the Charles Schwab Challenge, from June 11 to 14 at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

“It’s a lot of fun to get out here and do something for charity,” Johnson said.

“It feels good to get back out on the golf course and have a little competition. I think that if everything goes well we can start the Tour here in three or four weeks.

“I know we’re all looking forward to getting back and playing some golf.”

Also read: Stage set for Driving Relief match at historic Florida course