Cyprus stop added to European Tour schedule
LONDON The European Tour on Friday announced three more tournaments as part of its revamped 2020 schedule, including its first trip to Cyprus for two consecutive events.
Tour officials also confirmed the cancellation of this year’s Turkish Airlines Open and the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa.
The Aphrodite Hills Resort in Paphos will host the Cyprus Open Oct. 29-Nov. 1, followed by the Cyprus Classic Nov. 5-8.
“The back-to-back tournaments ... also continue the European Tour’s strategy of staging consecutive tournaments in geographical clusters wherever possible to reduce the onus on international travel,” the Tour said in a statement.
Also added is the Scottish Championship, which has been scheduled for Oct. 15-18 at Fairmont St Andrews. The 1 million euros (US$1.19 million) event extends the Tour’s second British swing of the 2020 season to four events.
All the tournaments will be played without spectators.
The tour, which was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resumed on July 22 with a six-tournament British swing, with players adhering to strict health protocols.
Brendan Lawlor shot a 12-overpar 84 in the first round of the UK Championship, but the 22-yearold, who became the first golfer with disabilities to compete on the European Tour on Thursday, said scoring is immaterial in a week that will change his life.
The Irishman has a rare condition called Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, a disability characterized by a shorter stature and shorter limbs. He was invited to compete in the Aug. 27-30 U.K. Championship by his sponsor, the tournament’s title partners.
“The nerves were fine, just the usual first tee nerves,” said Lawlor, who turned professional last year. “I hit a good one down the middle on the first and sort of relaxed then.
“It’s a week to change (in) my life and other people’s lives, so just go out and enjoy it and that’s what I did. I didn’t have any expectations of scores. I’m just so grateful to be competing on the same stage as these guys.”
Reuters