LPGA moves Rogers tourney

The LPGA used a mulligan Wednesday, announcing it would postpone the restart of the 2020 season until mid-July because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The move affects the Northwest Arkansas Championship, which has been postponed to Aug. 24-30 from its original mid-June date.

Annye DeGrand Fox, the tournament director and a vice president of events for Octagon, said the staff was going full bore with the June date, but the later date allows more preparation time for what is likely to be a number of changes from the previous 13 years of the event at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers.

“This hasn’t impacted us much yet after just finding this out today,” Fox said. “I think we’re still trying to determine what this event in August will look like. I think it may take us a little while. This situation is

constantly evolving and fast-changing. We are going to adapt to that as needed.” The event’s dates have fluctuated, particularly in the early years. The tournament has been played in July and September, but since 2012 it has been a June staple. Fox does not anticipate the August date will be permanent, but the LPGA has not released its 2021 schedule. Fox said the LPGA also announced Wednesday that the field for this tournament will expand from 144 to 156 golfers. She also said the Northwest Arkansas Championship will continue its connection to the University of Arkansas women’s golf program with sponsorship exemptions and slots in the Monday qualifier, even though the August date will be up against the start of the school year. “We are still hopeful to be able to offer that exemption,” Fox said. “We are having conversations with Shauna Taylor about that now and what that will look like. Their season will not have started yet. I know there is still a lot up in the air about collegiate athletics. But we are still hopeful to be able to offer them an exemption and qualifier exemptions.” The LPGA held only a handful of events before the tour was shut down. In the last official event, tour veteran Inbee Park won the ISPS Handa Women’s Australia Open. Earlier in the season, former Arkansas golfer Gaby Lopez won her first tour event at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said Wednesday in a news

release that safety is the tour’s primary concern.

“One thing that has become clear is that there will be no opening bell regarding a return to safe play in this new normal of the covid-19 pandemic,” Whan said. “To be honest, being first has never been the goal when it comes to returning to play in this new normal. We have built a schedule that we think is as safe as possible.

“While July seems like a long way away, we are certainly aware that restarting our season in Michigan, Ohio and New Jersey will require continued improvement in the situation in each of those states.”

Under the latest revised schedule, the event in Midland, Mich., scheduled for July 16 will be the first event on the tour when it restarts.

The delayed restart and shortening the season will mean a bigger payout at the remaining events, with the average purse bumping to $2.7 million.

“Many of our remaining events will feature higher purses in 2020 thanks in part to some of our sponsors, who could not reschedule their events, offering some of their prize funds to increase other purses,” Whan said. “In what has been a very challenging year for everyone, we are so thankful to our partners for their creativity, collaboration and dedication to helping our athletes get the most out of the playing opportunities they will have in this unprecedented season.”

According to a news release, individuals who have already purchased tickets or registered as a volunteer for the Northwest Arkansas Championship will be contacted directly, with the option to receive a full refund or the opportunity to transfer their ticket or registration to the rescheduled event.