European Tour Statement on Alex Levy and Romain Wattel

The European Tour withdrew Romain Wattel from this week’s Celtic Classic as a further precaution after the Frenchman was identified as a contact of compatriot Alex Levy.

Levy was earlier withdrawn from the tournament after he came in contact with a friend in France prior to the event who has subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.

Although Levy initially returned a negative COVID-19 test upon his arrival at the Celtic Manor Resort and had not displayed symptoms, after reporting his exposure and because of the incubation period of the virus, he was subsequently re-tested and returned a positive result.

Wattel was identified as a contact of Levy after the European Tour and Public Health Wales worked collaboratively to track and trace. He was also re-tested but returned a negative result, as did Levy’s caddie Tom Ayling. As a precaution, however, Wattel did not participate in the tournament in accordance with Public Health Wales’ guidance.

Levy, Ayling and Wattel are now all in self-isolation and the European Tour and its medical team will support all three individuals throughout that period.

Wattel was replaced in the tournament by England’s Matthew Baldwin, while Levy was replaced by Denmark’s Martin Simonsen.