JOHANNESBURG - A batch of British and Irish golfers withdrew from the Joburg Open before Friday's second round after the U.K. government announced it was banning flights from South Africa to counter the spread of a new COVID-19 variant.
The inaugural season of the DP World Tour started Thursday but more than a dozen players pulled out of the tournament because of the new restrictions, tour spokesperson Steve Todd confirmed on Friday.
The U.K. announced it was suspending flights from South Africa and five other southern African countries and making travelers from these countries self-isolate for 10 days effective from 1200 GMT Friday.