MUSC Health to serve as official medical services provider of the 2021 PGA Championship

South Carolina’s top-ranked hospital will supply healthcare expertise and on-site resources for the upcoming major golf Championship

The PGA of America has announced MUSC Health, South Carolina’s only comprehensive academic medical center and the No. 1 ranked hospital in the state by U.S. News & World Report, as the Official Medical Services Provider of the 2021 PGA Championship, to be held May 17 – 23 at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. MUSC Health offers advanced care across South Carolina through hospitals, an extensive network of doctors’ offices and telehealth.

For the past six months, MUSC Health has assisted the PGA Championship team in developing its extensive medical, health and hygiene plans for the upcoming event. MUSC Health will help promote a responsible environment at the 2021 PGA Championship by providing on-site medical services for spectators, players, caddies, volunteers, vendors and staff.

In 2020, MUSC Health launched Back2Business, a program designed to help business owners and organizations reopen during COVID-19 smoothly and seamlessly, and follow the latest evidence-based guidelines for maintaining a safe environment.

“As we prepare to welcome spectators back to the PGA Championship, public health continues to be our top priority, which is why we are proud to partner with MUSC Health to responsibly host this world-class event in Charleston,” said Ryan Ogle, PGA Championship Director. “We are incredibly thankful for the expertise and guidance that MUSC Health has provided our team throughout the planning process and look forward to having their knowledgeable medical experts on-site at the event.”

MUSC Health will provide medical supplies, EMS services and a team of medical professionals to staff the event’s first-aid stations, which will be located near the Main Spectator Entrance and Hole 11 Green. It will also offer on-call specialists and general services for all players and caddies throughout Championship Week, as well as COVID-19 testing for up to 250 PGA staff and vendors.

“Supporting this major golf championship event with medical services signals a return to more normal activities post-pandemic,” said Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., MUSC Health system CEO and vice president of Health Affairs, University. “Public health is the number one priority and our team continues to work diligently to deliver health care services for our community.”

The PGA of America announced in February that the PGA Championship would be played with a limited number of spectators on-site, a decision made in coordination with the state of South Carolina, MUSC Health and CDC guidelines.

Under the guidance of MUSC Health and public health officials, the PGA Championship will implement COVID-19 protocols that align with national, state and local guidelines. All stakeholders are encouraged to review the PGA Championship’s Commitment to Health before arriving on-site to learn more about the event’s health and wellness measures. The following COVID-19 procedures, among others, will be in place for the 2021 PGA Championship:

• Face coverings will be required for all spectators, staff and volunteers, including those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine, and should be worn at all times (indoors, outdoors or when riding any PGA-operated shuttle).

• All spectators, staff and volunteers are expected to maintain appropriate social distancing at the Championship.

• Sanitation stations will be available throughout the grounds and regular handwashing is encouraged. Spectators will be permitted to bring their own hand sanitizers and facial coverings.

The PGA Championship features 156 players competing annually for the Wanamaker Trophy, one of golf’s most prized possessions. To stay updated on the latest PGA Championship news, visit PGAChampionship.com, follow @PGAChampionship on Twitter and Instagram or go to facebook.com/pgachampionship.

About MUSC

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is home to the oldest medical school in the South as well as the state’s only integrated academic health sciences center, with a unique charge to serve the state through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and nearly 800 residents in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. MUSC brought in more than $271 million in biomedical research funds in fiscal year 2020, continuing to lead the state in obtaining National Institutes of Health funding, with more than $129.9 million. For information on academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the clinical health system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality patient care available while training generations of competent, compassionate health care providers to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Comprising some 1,600 beds, more than 100 outreach sites, the MUSC College of Medicine, the physicians’ practice plan and nearly 275 telehealth locations, MUSC Health owns and operates eight hospitals situated in Charleston, Chester, Florence, Lancaster and Marion counties. In 2020, for the sixth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $3.2 billion. The more than 17,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers and scientists who deliver groundbreaking education, research, technology and patient care.

About the PGA Championship

The PGA Championship is the only all-professional major in men’s golf. It began in 1916, just months after the birth of the PGA of America, and annually features the most top-100 players in the Official World Golf Rankings of all golf Championships.

About the PGA of America

The PGA of America represents the very best in golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.org, follow @PGA on Twitter and Instagram and find us on Facebook.