Spectators not allowed at Olympic

Spectators will not be allowed at the U.S. Women’s Open at the Olympic Club in June because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Chronicle has learned.

State and local public health officials, in coordination with the United States Golf Association and LPGA, made the decision mostly because of the challenges in controlling social distancing at golf events, according to two sources close to the situation.

Only a limited number of Olympic Club members are expected to be permitted on site during the event.

“Everybody is super disappointed,” one source said Saturday, “because it’s our first women’s Open and there’s so much support in the community for this championship.”

The U.S. Women’s Open, the marquee event in the women’s game, will be played in San Francisco for the first time June 36. The only previous Women’s Open in the Bay Area was held at CordeValle in San Martin in 2016.

Matt Sawicki, USGA Senior Director of Championships, insisted no decision has been finalized regarding spectators at the Olympic Club.

“It is important to have fans attend the U.S. Women’s Open, but health and safety protocols for all attendees remains our first priority,” Sawicki said in a statement emailed Saturday to The Chronicle. “We are working closely with the city and county of San Francisco, as well as the state of California, to create the best environment possible.”

This news comes at a time when spectators are starting to return to sporting events across the nation. The A’s plan to host 20% of capacity at the Coliseum (about 11,000 fans) for Opening Night on Thursday, in accordance with state Department of Public Health guidelines.

A majorleague baseball team is allowed 20% capacity when its county is in the red tier and 33% in the orange tier. San Francisco moved into the orange tier last Tuesday and Alameda County is expected to follow suit this Tuesday.

Also, the PGA Tour has permitted a limited number of fans at recent tournaments in Florida and Texas. Augusta National similarly plans to allow a limited number of spectators for next month’s Masters, the year’s first major championship.

Television coverage of recent tour events, including this weekend’s Match Play Championship in Austin, Texas, has showed many fans not wearing masks or following social distancing guidelines.

The LPGA has moved more cautiously than the PGA Tour, partly because its events this weekend (near San Diego) and next week (outside Palm Springs) are in California, where public health restrictions are tighter. The tour hopes to have limited spectators for its midMay event in Virginia, according to Golfweek.