Scottish Open to be played without fans due to rise in COVID-19 cases

(Reuters) - The European Tour has scrapped plans to allow a limited number of fans to attend the Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in East Lothian next month due to the tightening of COVID-19 restrictions in the country.

The Tour planned to allow 650 spectators per day for the Rolex Series tournament, which has been rescheduled from its usual July date to Oct. 1-4.

However, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced this week that additional restrictions aimed at halting the spread of the second wave of the novel coronavirus outbreak would be imposed.

"A robust and thorough plan had been put in place, in close collaboration with the Scottish Government, to welcome a limited number of spectators over the weekend," the European Tour said in a statement.

"However, in line with the consistent approach now being taken in Scotland and across the UK to pause pilot events, the tournament will now return to a closed-door model."

There have been no fans in attendance at any of the European or U.S. PGA Tour events since professional golf resumed in June after the COVID-19 shutdown, with strict bio-secure protocols enforced at each of the tournament venues.

(Reporting by Arvind Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)