While the Oman Open takes place this week in the Sultanate, the tournament has seen an incredible launch in recent hours! The cause ? Two Italian golfers were initially excluded from the tournament, before being reinstated this Thursday morning. The threat linked to the coronavirus triggered the implementation of crisis measures on the European Tour.
Lorenzo Gagli, who had a feverish arrival in Oman, was placed in solitary confinement on Tuesday evening. His compatriot and roommate Edoardo Molinari was also placed in quarantine, even if he had no symptoms. “I arrived in Muscat on Sunday and saw many other players in the gym, restaurant and on the buses. If there is a risk, you must also isolate dozens of other players and cancel the tournament, ”protested Gagli to the newspaper La Nazione.
Applying the precautionary principle, the tournament organizers therefore sent the two players to the medical service, notifying them of their exclusion from the player field, as of Wednesday evening.
European Tour statement on Lorenzo Gagli and Edoardo Molinari.
- The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) February 27, 2020Flu-like symptoms
"On Wednesday, Lorenzo Gagli and Edoardo Molinari withdrew from the Oman Open for medical reasons," said a statement released Thursday morning. Gagli had flu-like symptoms and was assessed by the tournament medical team. In consultation with the Omani Ministry of Health and in accordance with current guidelines from the World Health Organization, he was then tested for the coronavirus (Covid-19) and immediately entered into isolation as a precaution. Gagli shared a hotel room with Edoardo Molinari, who showed no signs of illness, but, as a precaution, he also entered self-isolation in a separate room. The Omani Health Ministry said on Thursday morning that Gagli's test results were negative. "
After these negative medical tests, the two men were finally reinstated in extremis and they will be aligned both in the last part from 13:30 today, bringing the field of players to 146.
"This is a difficult global situation," said Keith Pelley, director of the European Tour, in this press release. We must take all necessary preventive measures in the public interest. We will also continue to work with our medical experts and local authorities to do our best during the next tournaments. The health of our players, European Tour teams and spectators remains our top priority. "
Wink of fate, it is the boiling Italian Guido Migliozzi who has in mind after the morning games with a card of 66 (-6) ...
