Final PGA Tour regular season event to start play without fans due to Tropical Storm Debby

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — The PGA Tour’s final event of the regular season, the Wyndham Championship, will start on Thursday without fans due to the expected dangerous weather conditions from Tropical Storm Debby.

The tournament announced Wednesday that spectators won’t be permitted on the grounds of Sedgefield Country Club for the first round.

Competitors are still scheduled to start play at 6:50 a.m. Organizers said play will continue as long as conditions allow.

Fans with tickets for Thursday’s round can use those tickets for any of the final three rounds.

Tournament director Bobby Powell said forecasts call for Debby to clear the area sometime Friday.

“This decision was a difficult one for us to make with our partners at the PGA Tour, but everyone’s safety is our top priority,” Powell said in a statement.

Defending champion Lucas Glover said he’s got no control of weather conditions and how they affect his start time or the course.

“We’re going to start when we start and I don’t think there’s much we can do about it,” Glover said. “If it’s tomorrow at 12:54, I’ll be ready to go. If it’s Friday at 4:00, I’ll be ready to go.”

The Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs for the top 70 in the season-long standings start next week with the St. Jude FedEx Championship next week.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf