The British Open may not be performed this 12 months for the primary time since 1945, golfing officers introduced Monday as they attempted to reconfigure a big championship time table that may finish with the Masters being performed two weeks ahead of Thanksgiving.
Still to be decided is when — or even supposing — golfing can resume relying at the unfold of COVID-19 that has close down sports activities international.
The BMW Championship, which can be performed at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, will now happen Aug. 25-30, one week later than firstly deliberate.
“We’ve been working closely with the PGA Tour, BMW and our host club, Olympia Fields, to ensure a smooth transition to our new dates, while focusing on the health and safety of all involved. That is our top priority,” Vince Pellegrino, Western Golf Association senior vp of tournaments, mentioned in a commentary.
The R&A introduced that the British Open, scheduled for July 16-19 at Royal St. George’s in England, can be driven again till July 15-18 in 2021, leaving the 150th Open for St. Andrews in 2022.
“I can assure everyone that we have explored every option for playing The Open this year, but it is not going to be possible,” R&A first-rate Martin Slumbers mentioned.
The Masters, which was once intended to begin Thursday, was once rescheduled for Nov. 12-15. That would observe the PGA Championship on Aug. 6-Nine at Harding Park in San Francisco and the U.S. Open — nonetheless at Winged Foot — for Sept. 17-20.
Golf’s main organizations were looking to piece in combination a puzzle for the ultimate 3 weeks and each and every agreed to announce their schedules on the identical time in a display of collaboration. Still lacking is the beginning line.
It is with a heavy center that we need to cancel The Open for the primary time since WWII. We respect that this can be disappointing for an excellent many of us however we need to act responsibly all over this pandemic and it’s the proper factor to do.
Statement: https://t.co/brJfuOZSFP percent.twitter.com/iizOupOk4m
— The Open (@TheOpen) April 6, 2020
The PGA Tour has essentially the most shifting portions, and it tentatively has deliberate to finish its FedEx Cup season with regards to time table, with the Tour Championship wrapping up the postseason run on Labor Day.
“We hope the anticipation of staging the Masters Tournament in the fall brings a moment of joy to the Augusta community and all those who love the sport,” Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley mentioned. “We want to emphasize that our future plans are incumbent upon favorable counsel and direction from health officials.”
Ridley mentioned each participant who has gained invites to play the Masters in April will keep at the record, with extra main points to be looked after out later. He additionally mentioned the Augusta National Women’s Amateur was once canceled, and each participant can stay their spots for subsequent 12 months supplied they don’t flip professional.
Winged Foot simply north of New York City is ready five miles clear of a scorching spot for the brand new coronavirus. Construction for the U.S. Open was once stopped two weeks in the past because the USGA attempted to resolve its perfect path. For now, it’s to stick in New York with a September date.
The U.S. Senior Open at Newport Country Club and the U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Brooklawn Country Club in Connecticut were canceled.
The PGA Championship, which ultimate 12 months moved to May for the primary time in some 70 years, returns to August at Harding Park. That would precede the PGA Tour’s end-of-season run of the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina, The Northern Trust out of doors Boston, the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship in Atlanta.