Day 1 of Charles Schwab Challenge is the weirdest sporting event I’ve ever attended
At 1:05 p.m., under an unrelenting sun and 95-degree Texas heat, the three top golfers in the world were introduced to a tiny gallery of “essential” employees before hitting their tee shots at Colonial Country Club that generated not a single clap, cough or “You the man!”
Welcome to the 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge, where the top players in the world are welcome but a crowd reaction is not. This was the weirdest sporting event I have ever attended.
Recognizing the rarity of the moment, I walked with the tournament’s top pairing: No. 1 Rory McIlroy, No. 2 Jon Rahm and No. 3 Brooks Koepka.
Before another word about their day, a tip of the cap to Koepka for pulling off the ‘70s mustache as well as anyone since Sam Elliott.
Although none of the three players turned in a performance worth remembering, walking with them for 18 holes was a memory in and of itself. The absence of a crowd ultimately stinks, but for one afternoon the silence allowed those of us fortunate enough with a level of access, and intimacy, that has vanished from most major sporting events.
No. 1 - 1:05 p.m.
With just under 30 people watching, all three players are introduced as they tee off in front of Colonial’s Wall of Champions.
Koepka and McIlroy hit their tee shots in the fairway, while Rahm lands in a trap.
As the men walk down the fairway the buzz of a drone overhead is audible. More audible are the three fans making noise.
They are not on the grounds. This trio stands on a porch of a house across that street. It is one of the few spots outside from where the course is visible. They are using binoculars.
Just off the green, four law enforcement officials watch the players as they attempt putts.
After Rahm sinks his putt, Koepka says, “Atta boy.”
As the group walks between the green to the second tee, Rahm asks Koepka, “Do you have to wipe it down all the way to the hole?”
Confusion about protocols would remain throughout the day.
No. 2 - 1:21 p.m.
Eleven people have squeezed between a tall row of shrubs and the fence to watch the players hit from the tee box.
On his approach shot, McIlroy settles in and the sounds from the crowd are replaced by the noises from the nearby train yard. Against the silence, the horns and the brakes against the steel sound almost like a concert.
After the hole is complete, two of the caddies have a conversation about the disinfectant wipes.
“Can we reuse these or is it one per hole?” Rahm’s caddy asks.
No. 3 - 1:34 p.m.
As McIlroy eats a power bar, Koepka hits a tee shot that looks to be 4,343 yards. He looks at his caddy and asks, “Good?”
On McIlroy’s approach shot, he pleads with his ball. “Sit. Sit. Sit.” He grimaces when he doesn’t get the bounce he wants.
No. 4 - 1:49 p.m.
McIlroy and Koepka wait for the group ahead of them to finish putting on this par-3 hole and fill the time by chatting.
Rahm talks with his caddie, who tells him, “Hit it as hard as you want.”
This is the hole where a three-month layoff shows. Rahm’s shot is 10 yards short of the green.
Four fans have wiggled between hedges and the fence to see what they can. For this closed event, it may as well be a field seat at AT&T Stadium.
No. 5 - 2:06 p.m.
With access to this PGA Tour event at a premium, the men and women who volunteer to help at this tournament will do anything to justify their spot.
Ball spotter is a good gig. But at Colonial, with no fans in the way, ball spotters aren’t needed as frequently.
After McIlroy’s tee shot flies into the light rough, a ball spotter quickly lords over the ball like a mother hawk protecting its young.
McIlroy walks up and simply tells the spotter, “Thank you.”
He follows that by sinking a long putt which prompts Rahm to say, “Niiice.”
No. 6 - 2:20 p.m.
The group that would have generated the biggest galleries has settled into playing with few eyes watching. After nearly driving the green with a monster tee shot, McIlroy lips out a 3-foot par putt.
These moments are made for hundreds of golf fans going, “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Here, we don’t even get the soft golf clap.
No. 7 - 2:33 p.m.
In what continues to be “that kind of day,” McIlroy misses a birdie putt and sounds like he lets out a phrase that is not suitable for publication.
No. 8 - 2:50 p.m.
After hitting his tee shot into the rough outside the green, Rahm pitches a shot in for birdie.
“That’s pretty [bleeping] good there,” he says.
With no crowd reaction to drown out the cursing, the NBC Golf Channel microphones easily picks up Rahm’s every word. Broadcaster Jim Nantz apologizes to the television audience if anyone is offended.
No. 9 - 2:58 p.m.
Koepka’s tee shot is so strong it lands in the fairway, nearly embedding itself. He calls over a rules official, who gets out of his cart and takes a look at the ball.
“I thought it was plugged into the ground, which would have given him a relief,” the official says.
No need.
It’s this hole where the lack of stands clearly affects the play. Koepka flies the green and rather than hit the stands at the back, he’s merely in the rough.
No. 10 - 3:14 p.m.
One of the new adds for CBS for the telecast is a stationary camera for players after the 10th tee box. The idea is a player will stop, take a question, and then continue their round.
Thursday and Friday are carried by NBC’s Golf Channel.
Koepka and Rahm walk by the camera without stopping.
McIlroy walks by and asks his caddie, “Do you have something you want to get off you chest? Share your deepest and darkest thoughts?”
No. 11 - 3:30 p.m.
By now the heat of the day is affecting these guys. It’s in the mid-90s, and although there is ample shade for the few of us who are here to watch, the players are under the bright sun with no break.
After McIlroy hits his tee shot, his caddie immediately holds up his right arm and points to the right.
Meanwhile, McIlroy just bends his body in a frustrated manner, twists and lets out the golfer’s “Awwwwwwww” groan.
No. 12 - 3:51 p.m.
After teeing off McIlroy and Rahm walk together down the fairway and exchange small talk. They look like two guys just playing a round of golf on a Saturday morning.
McIlroy talks about his mom and dad, to which Rahm says, “Oh, that’s cool.”
No. 13 - 4:10 p.m.
The party hole at Colonial has two fans. They are two young men, who stand behind a chain link fence behind the hole, just off the path that runs along the Trinity River.
Brothers Jackson and Drew Reetz googled Colonial’s course, and wanted to see if there was any spot from where they could get a glimpse of the action. The walked across a rock bridge across the river, up a narrow trail, and have spent the last two hours from their private perch watching the best players in the game play.
“Yes, it’s totally worth it,” Jackson said. “We got to see a hole in one. It’s not a bad spot.”
After Rahm sinks his putt, Jackson and Drew cheer. Rahm gives the brothers a nod.
No. 14 - 4:30 p.m.
This is the one hole where because of where the ropes are, players are simply hard to hear. By the end of this hole, they are all minus-2.
No. 15 - 4:41 p.m.
Because of slow play, McIlroy, Rahm and Koepka mill around and have to wait. It’s so slow the next group finishes and all six players, and their caddies, hang out under a sliver of shade.
Social distancing protocols are ignored.
After an eight-minute delay, the world’s top three all hit their tee shots and walk together down the fairway. As they walk, off in the distance is something they have not heard all day — the roar of the crowd.
There is an audience. Somewhere.
Across the street is one of the three homes that have built observation/party tents. Those under the tent can’t see much, but it’s more than nothing.
After Koepka’s approach shot, he can hear, “Great shot, Brooks!”
No. 16 - 4:54 p.m.
A homeowner built a small section of stands in his backyard that has a view of the 15th green, and part of the 16th tee box. If that.
Only this tiny area of the 18-hole course sounds remotely close to a PGA Tour gallery.
After their tee shots, the trio walks towards the bridge across the creek and 30 or so fans scream, “Roar-ee! Roar-ee! Roar-ee!”
No. 17 - 5:19 p.m.
At this point, the three top players in the world are not playing like the three top players in the world. They aren’t bad, but they aren’t tearing up the course, either.
After his putt at 17, Rahm walks off the green towards his final tee shot of the day and exhales a breath as he says, “Ohhhhh ... God.”
No. 18 - 5:24 p.m.
Watching his tee shot fly, McIlroy asks the ball again to “Sit. Sit. Sit.”
Rahm sets up for his shot when the Velcro on his glove comes apart. He steps back and goes through his pre-shot routine all over again.
After his approach shot flies over the green and lands in the back in the rough, he shoots his caddie a look of disbelief.
All three would like the day to end.
Rahm finishes the round with a bogey, and finishes one under. McIlroy and Koepka are two under.
They all three acknowledge each other with a wave and a salute, and then are on their way.
It was not the round these players, nor the fans, wanted, but it was the day sports, and golf, gave us.
For those of us fortunate enough to be inside, it was weird and unforgettable.
This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
