BUMPER CROP FOR BRITAIN AFTER TOUR CHANGE OF HEART

BRITISH golf fans can look forward to more tournaments to attend on home soil in future following a change of strategy by the European Tour. The action resumes in July with a six-week UK swing before running to December — with the Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick now rearranged for October 8-11 and the Tour’s flagship PGA Championship the following week at Wentworth. This summer’s festival of six events in a row in England and Wales might all be behind closed doors — and forced on the tour by the pandemic — but chief executive Keith Pelley gave a broad hint that it will not be a one-off. ‘I honestly think we’re giving you a glimpse into the future,’ said the Canadian. ‘We could well see something similar going forward. All of these venues are incredibly excited and two of them have already asked about being put on the schedule for 2021.’ Only two of the 48 events on last year’s schedule were staged in England and none in Wales. It features the return of a couple of neglected Ryder Cup venues in The Belfry and Celtic Manor, with the former hosting an event for the first time since 2008. The latter will feature back-to-back tournaments and is on the tour schedule for the first time in six years. Pelley was in bullish form as he spoke about the impressive salvage operation following the devastation caused by Covid-19. ‘Diversity is usually one of our biggest strengths but it became our biggest challenge and I’m proud of the way we’ve risen to it,’ he said, before addressing rumours of financial difficulties. ‘Is the tour bankrupt, or running out of money? Absolutely not.’ The run begins with the British Masters at Close House in Northumberland on July 22, followed by five events at four venues no more than a two-hour drive from one another: the Forest of Arden, Hanbury Manor, Celtic Manor and The Belfry. The five events are being propped up by the tour, with total prize funds of €1million each. Pelley stressed that the events were contingent on UK quarantine restrictions being lifted by then. ‘I’m confident that will be the case,’ he said.