The PGA Tour will remain in lockdown for at least two more months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week, following the cancelation of the Players Championship, the US-based circuit was forced to scrap the Valspar Championship, WGC-Match Play and Valero Texas Open.
The Tour also postponed the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship and Augusta National did likewise with the Masters Tournament.
Today, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced the cancelation of four additional events in accordance with the most recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and the Office of the President of the United States.
“As we receive more clarity in the coming weeks, the Tour will be working with our tournament organisations and title sponsors, in collaboration with golf’s governing bodies, to build a PGA Tour schedule for 2020 that ensures the health and safety for all associated with our sport and a meaningful conclusion to the season,” the Tour said in a statement.
The four cancelled tournaments are the RBC Heritage (April 13-19); Zurich Classic of New Orleans (April 20-26); Wells Fargo Championship (April 27-May 3); and AT&T Byron Nelson (May 4-10).
The PGA of America has also announced that it will be postposing the US PGA Championship, which was set to be played at TPC Harding from May 14-17.
“THE TOUR WILL BE WORKING TO BUILD A PGA TOUR SCHEDULE FOR 2020 THAT ENSURES THE HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR ALL ASSOCIATED WITH OUR SPORT.” – PGA TOUR COMMISSIONER JAY MONAHAN
All of this essentially means that the earliest the PGA Tour will return to action will be at the Charles Schwab Challenge (May 21-24).
It still remains unclear when – or if – the Masters will be played in 2020.
There have been suggestions that it could take place in September or October – but six-time Masters Champion Jack Nicklaus doesn’t see that happening.
“In all practicality, they are postponing, but I can’t see any way they would play it at a later date,” Nicklaus said during an interview on ESPN.
“How in the world could they work it into the schedule? It wouldn’t be fair to any other tournament that are later. I think we are probably going to miss the Masters this year, that’s just my opinion, but I think it makes logical sense.”
There have also been rumours that the Ryder Cup – scheduled to be played at Whistling Straits from September 25-28 – will be postponed until 2021.
The PGA of America was quick to shut down that notion, however, tweeting the following: “Reports today that the 2020 Ryder Cup is expected to be postponed are inaccurate.”
The European Tour, meanwhile, has cancelled or postponed eight events, meaning the earliest it will return to action will be May 21-24 at the Made in Denmark tournament.
Keith Pelley, CEO of the Tour, has suspended ticket hospitality sales for this year’s events until further notice.
“This is a temporary measure but one we feel is proportionate in the current circumstances. If there are any changes to the status of any of our tournaments, we will communicate this to you in due course,” Pelley said.
