Professional golf is planning its return after the Covid-19 pandemic, but it won’t look like any season we’re used to.
Golf’s major governing bodies—the USGA, PGA of America, the PGA Tour, European Tour and Augusta National Golf Club—issued a statement Monday saying they are trying to reschedule the season, but recognize the uncertainties going forward.
“We remain very mindful of the obstacles ahead, and each organization will continue to follow the guidance of the leading public health authorities, conducting competitions only if it is safe and responsible to do so,” the statement read. “In recent weeks, the global golf community has come together to collectively put forward a calendar of events that will, we hope, serve to entertain and inspire golf fans around the world. We are grateful to our respective partners, sponsors and players, who have allowed us to make decisions – some of them, very tough decisions – in order to move the game and the industry forward.”
The Masters, which would have been played this week, was the first to be postponed. The British Open, which was scheduled for July, announced it will not move forward with rescheduling its tournament, instead moving it to 2021.
Here’s how each of golf’s governing bodies are proposing moving ahead this year:
The Masters
Originally scheduled for this week, the Masters is moving to Nov. 9 to 15. But the club’s leadership admitted that it still could have challenges that week.
“While more details will be shared in the weeks and months to come, we, like all of you, will continue to focus on all mandated precautions and guidelines to fight against the Coronavirus,” said Chairman Fred Ridley. “Along the way, 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.”
PGA Tour
The tour suggests it will reschedule tournaments previously surrounding the U.S. Open, a timeframe that includes the RBC Canadian Open, which was scheduled to run the week prior to the U.S. Open, into a schedule in June and July. This period would also include period when the Olympics would have occupied. The RBC Canadian Open is currently scheduled to run June 11 to 14 at St. George’s in Toronto.
The FedExCup Playoffs are now scheduled to start Aug. 10 and conclude on Sept. 7, which is Labour Day weekend.
“We appreciate the open and collaborative approach taken by each of our tournaments, title sponsors and media partners to get us to this solution,” said PGA Tour Commisioner Jay Monahan. “It’s a complex situation, and we want to balance the commitments to our various partners with playing opportunities for our members – while providing compelling competition to our fans – but all of that must be done while navigating the unprecedented global crisis that is impacting every single one of us.”
USGA
The United States Golf Association is moving the U.S. Open, originally scheduled for mid-June at Winged Foot Golf Club in New York, to Sept. 14 to 20. It will remain at Winged Foot. The Women’s U.S. Open was already moved to December. The fate of the U.S. Amateur has not been determined.
R&A
The Open Championship, scheduled for July, has been pushed by a year and will still be played at Royal St. George’s in Kent.
PGA of America
The PGA Championship is now being held Aug. 3 to 9 at TPC Hard Park in San Francisco, Calif. It was originally scheduled for May. The Ryder Cup, which is to be played at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisc., remains scheduled for Sept. 22 to 27.
European Tour
No announcements here yet. The Tour is currently working through a potential schedule.
LPGA
The Tour is scheduled to return June 15 and has announced rescheduling its first two majors of the year (the ANA Inspiration moves to the week of September 7 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.) The U.S. Women’s Open moves to the week of December 7 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas.