How many is too many? Not five, as far as the PGA Tour is concerned. The enforced withdrawals of Brooks Koepka, his brother Chase Koepka, Cameron Champ, Graeme McDowell and Webb Simpson from stage three of the Tour’s resumption – all for matters linked to Covid-19 – isn’t sufficient for the halting of this frontline sport. This show will go on; increasingly controversially, of course, if such problems persist. The Travelers Championship will tee off as planned in Connecticut on Thursday. “I think we all need to remind ourselves that we’re all learning to live with this virus,” said Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour’s commissioner. “We all need to learn to live with this virus, both as individuals, as family members and certainly within our businesses. It’s pretty clear that this virus isn’t going anywhere.” Pressed on whether there was a point at which the Tour would need to shut down, even on grounds of reputation, Monahan said: “We feel a great responsibility to inspire people and to be in their living rooms on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We feel like we’re on a path that’s going to allow us to continue to sustain our return to golf.” Monahan admitted “concern” about the general coronavirus situation in the US. He did not completely rule out the Tour having an enforced stoppage but, for now, it clearly isn’t on the radar. “There certainly are scenarios where if you had a significant number of positive tests, you’d have to be thinking along those lines. But for us, we’re confident with the plan we have and we are very hopeful that we are not going to be in that position.” Champ returned a positive test on Monday. Ken Comboy, McDowell’s caddie, soon did likewise. The Northern Irishman duly withdrew, as did Brooks Koepka after his own bag man, Rickie Elliott, tested positive. Chase Koepka removed himself from the field on safety grounds because of earlier proximity to Elliott. Simpson revealed a family member of his tested positive for Covid-19. “I feel like it is my responsibility to take care of my family and protect my peers in the field,” Simpson said. Monahan insisted the Tour will be firm on any player, caddie or coach who breaches newly heightened safety rules. Mutual responsibility may prove key as the Tour looks to navigate a safe passage towards some form of normality. “All of us have an extraordinary responsibility to follow those protocols,” Monahan said. “For any individual that does not, there will be serious repercussions. “Everybody knows and needs to know that our future, our ability to sustain this business and to impact the communities where we play and to create so many jobs is contingent on our ability to follow those protocols. So when we have instances where someone hasn’t, they will be dealt with, and as I said, the consequences will be significant.”