SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER? MASTERS PUT ON HOLD
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLA. On the heels of the PGA Tour cancelling this week’s Players Championship and suspending its season, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley announced on Friday morning that the Masters has been postponed.
“The ever-increasing risks associated with the widespread Coronavirus COVID-19 have led us to a decision that undoubtedly will be disappointing to many, although I am confident is appropriate under these unique circumstances,” Ridley wrote in a statement. “Considering the latest information and expert analysis, we have decided at this time to postpone the Masters Tournament, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals.”
The glimmer of hope golf fans can cling to is that the tournament is being postponed rather than cancelled. No date has been given for rescheduling the tournament, but there is some suggestion of September as a likely option.
Earlier in the morning on Friday, PGA Tour players were clearing out of TPC Sawgrass after The Players Championship was abruptly cancelled hours after Thursday play ended.
World No. 2 Jon Rahm, who can be a fiery competitor on the golf course, had more pressing concerns than the season’s first major.
“I think there’s bigger problems in the world right now than whether we play the Masters or not,” Rahm said. “It’s as simple as that.”
The 25-year-old Spaniard’s thoughts were with those most susceptible to critical illness resulting from coronavirus, including those closest to him.
“I’m pretty scared because there’s quite a bit of people in my family with asthma, and my 85-year-old grandma being one of them, which is a direct target,” Rahm said.
The PGA Tour has cancelled all tournaments up to and including the Valero Texas Open in April.
The LPGA is postponing its next three events, including the ANA Inspiration, the season’s first major.
The 2020 major championship golf schedule has been thrown into a state of flux with the news on Friday that April’s Masters has been postponed due to coronavirus fears, leaving the other majors with hard choices to make in the coming weeks.
The May 14-17 PGA Championship at Harding Park in San Francisco would seem to be in doubt, although the PGA of America on Friday only referred to its statement earlier this week which denied a report it was considering moving the event.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) said plans were proceeding for the June 18-21 U.S. Open at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, N.Y., close to a U.S. epicentre of the coronavirus in New Rochelle.
“Our championship season begins in late April and runs through September ... and as of today, we have not made any decisions to alter this schedule,” the USGA said on Friday.
Further ahead, time is still on the side of the British Open, scheduled to close out the major season at Royal St George’s in Sandwich on the south coast of England from July 16-19.
There seems little need for the R&A to rush into a decision before seeing how the coronavirus pandemic plays itself out.
The Tokyo Olympics are still, at this stage, on the slate, with the men’s event scheduled from
July 30-Aug. 2 and the women paying the following week.
Then there’s the Sept. 25-27 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
Perhaps the biggest question is whether the Masters will be played on a new date, or cancelled altogether.