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Miguel Angel Jimenez wins the Sanford International on Sunday, September 13, at the Minnehaha Country Club in Sioux Falls. (Photo: Erin Bormett / Argus Leader)
Sanford Health will continue to conduct all of the on-site COVID-19 testing at PGA Tour events across the Untied States, according to a news release Monday.
The Sioux Falls-based health care system started the partnership in June 2020 during the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. The tour was previously paused for nine weeks because of the global pandemic.
More: Sanford to provide COVID-19 testing at PGA Tour events through 2020
The extended partnership will run through June. At that time, Sanford and PGA Tour will evaluate what is needed based on the pandemic and vaccination progress, said Sanford Health Spokesman Paul Heinert in an emailed statement.
Sanford Health lab technicians travel to each tournament in a bus from Sanford’s mobile testing fleet. Each bus has a driver and three to four technicians staffed inside the mobile laboratory. The technicians have run more than 18,500 tests for the PGA Tour, returning results in less than four hours.
“We are extremely grateful to Sanford Health for the instrumental role they’ve played in the tour’s safe and responsible return to golf over the last eight months,” said Andy Levinson, PGA Tour senior vice president of tournament administration. “With health and safety continuing to be our number one priority, we are thrilled to extend this game-changing partnership with Sanford Health, utilizing their expertise in testing players, caddies and essential personnel going.”
The PGA Tour Champions will also return to Sioux Falls for the annual Sanford International Sept. 13 through Sept. 19 this year.
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