Masters In November: Golf Shuffles Professional Tournament Schedule Amid Pandemic

The Masters Tournament in November. The U.S. Open and Ryder Cup in September. The PGA Championship potentially in August.

These are among the planned changes to golf’s calendar through a collaboration between the sport’s leading tours and organizations: Augusta National Golf Club, European Tour, LPGA, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, the R&A and USGA.

“This is a difficult and challenging time for everyone coping with the effects of this pandemic,” the groups said in a joint statement. “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 global coronavirus pandemic has forced a litany of cancelations and postponements across the professional golf landscape, among them The Masters Tournament that was originally scheduled to be held this week in Augusta, Georgia. In recent weeks, the major tours and governing bodies worked together to put forward a revised calendar of events that might still be possible for this year.

“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 statement said.

Three of the four men’s major championships have been rescheduled, with the R&A deciding to cancel the 2020 Open Championship based on guidance from the UK Government, the health authorities, public services and The R&A’s advisers.

The Masters is tentatively scheduled to move to Nov. 12-15 at Augusta National.

“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,” Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley said. “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.”

The playing of the Masters is incumbent upon favorable counsel and direction from health officials, Ridley added. Should the tournament be held, it would be open to all professionals and amateurs who qualified, as well as all existing ticket holders.

The U.S. Open, originally scheduled for June 18-21 at Winged Foot Golf Club in New York, has been rescheduled for Sept. 17-20 at the same venue.

“We are hopeful that postponing the championship will offer us the opportunity to mitigate health and safety issues while still providing us with the best opportunity to conduct the U.S. Open this year,” said USGA CEO Mike Davis.

The PGA Championship is also scheduled to remain at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco – moving from May 14-17 to Aug. 6-9. In addition, the PGA of America said the Ryder Cup remains as originally scheduled on Sept. 22-27 at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.

The LPGA, meanwhile, has rescheduled its first two majors of 2020 for later this year. The ANA Inspiration moves to the week of Sept. 7 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, while the U.S. Women’s Open conducted by the USGA has been rescheduled for the week of Dec. 7 at Champions Golf Club in Houston.

“This has been a truly collective effort to reschedule tournament dates and work together to provide LPGA players with as many playing opportunities as possible once it is safe for us to resume competing again,” LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said. “As we watch the world come together in this battle against this virus, we are so thankful for all of the support from our valued partners and we continue to wish for the health and safety of all the extended members of our global LPGA family.”

Should the outbreak continue, further adjustments to golf’s tournament schedule would be shared at a later date.