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Golfers ‘apprehensive’ about PGA Tour’s restart plan

What will it look like? A major sporting event without spectators is a foreign concept, but it’s one of the many unwelcome new normals the COVID-19 pandemic has forced upon us. Every major sports league — including MLB, the NBA, NHL and MLS — has acknowledged this as a possibility, if even a likelihood, once …

What will it look like?

A major sporting event without spectators is a foreign concept, but it’s one of the many unwelcome new normals the COVID-19 pandemic has forced upon us.

Every major sports league — including MLB, the NBA, NHL and MLS — has acknowledged this as a possibility, if even a likelihood, once their respective seasons restart or begin.

On Thursday, the PGA Tour became the first major sports organization to announce no spectators as a reality when it mapped out its updated schedule, which begins with the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club the week of June 8, and stated that at least the first four tournaments on the revised schedule will take place without fans in attendance.

Colonial is followed by the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links the week of June 15, then the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut the week of June 22 and the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club beginning July 2 — all of which will be conducted as television-only events sans fans.

“It’ll definitely be awkward not have the fans out there,’’ Jim Furyk told The Post on Thursday. “We all want to get back on the golf course when it’s safe and we’re able to. We’d rather do it with fans if we could.’’

Furyk, who shot a PGA Tour-record 58 at the 2016 Travelers, said he may play all four of those fan-less events — including Travelers, which is third on the revised schedule.

“At the end of the day, all we are is entertainment,’’ Charles Howell III told The Post. “It definitely will be different without fans. There’s definitely a certain energy level that comes from having fans. However, we’re in an unprecedented time here where everything feels different and will be different going forward.

“And, if this is what needs to be done and gets us back out to the golf course and it gets everyone closer to normalcy, well then that’s what needs to be done.’’

Howell, like Furyk, said he plans to play all four of those fan-less tournaments.

“In a way, it’ll feel a little bit like a Tuesday morning practice round,’’ Howell said. “You’re out there and you’re playing the same golf course, but there’s no one there.”

The Travelers Championship draws an estimated 300,000 fans during tournament week, making it Connecticut’s largest sporting event.

“It’s going to be different without our fans,’’ said Nathan Grube, the Travelers Championship tournament director. “But whatever that ‘different’ is we’re going to embrace it.’’

Andy Bessette, the executive vice president of Travelers, said, “Is it going to be strange without fans? Yes, it’s going to be very strange. It will feel empty, but we’re going to proceed on.’’

Furyk and Howell expressed some apprehension about how the tournaments are going to be able to “proceed on’’ safely.

“I’m anxious to see what type of plan they roll out to try to keep us safe,’’ Furyk said. “There’s a lot of things that put us in harm’s way. What I worry about most is the outside world. We still have to travel, still have to check into a hotel, we still have eat, still have to interact with people. And with those things comes a risk. That’s the part I’m apprehensive about.’’

That said, Furyk insisted that he has “a lot of respect for those in charge at the PGA Tour, and I know they’re not going to put us out there just to get it out there on the golf course. They’re going to do it in a safe environment.’’

One PGA Tour source told The Post the Tour has hopes of being able to do “extensive testing’’ before these events. But that would seem unrealistic given the current nationwide shortage of testing for people who are symptomatic. Is the Tour going to be able to test players who are asymptomatic a mere two months from now?

“I’m excited to get back out there and play again, but there still is this apprehension about making sure we can do this safely and do it the right way,’’ Howell said. “As long as the Tour and everybody follows the guidelines from [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], government and local authorities, I think we’re OK. But there still has to be a learning curve here to testing and what is safe.

“Golf, even without fans, requires a lot of people. I still think there are a whole lot of moving parts to this. Hopefully, golf can find a way back, but find a way back safely so that we all can benefit from it.’’

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