McGinley backs call for Cup postponement
With a decision expected this week, Europe’s winning captain of 2014 has shifted his position, especially as the event in Wisconsin could only go ahead without fans, which is a red flag for the likes of Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka.
‘There’s a big call from the players, pretty much without exception, that they don’t want to play if there’s no crowds there,’ said McGinley.
‘There’s a huge commercial aspect as well. With no corporate hospitality, you can imagine the economic impact of playing it without spectators for the PGA of America.
‘I think you’re flying against the wind if you’re going to try and play it this year. The further I go down the road, the more I’m inclined to think if it’s possible to postpone it for a year, it is the prudent thing to do,’ he added.
While the European Tour have an input, it’s the PGA of America who will have the final say, in conjunction with the PGA Tour.
‘It’s very much an American decision, the American PGA are hosting the Ryder Cup and the home venue has a lot of say in these decisions.
‘As you can imagine there’s a lot of venues and future venues, right up to 2036 or maybe even 2040 that have been announced already, and if we are going to move back a year all those contracts have to be renegotiated.
‘You’ve also got the complication of the President’s Cup, which takes place in the odd Ryder Cup years, so they’ll have to be negotiated forward.’
McGinley is aware that a Ryder Cup deferral could lead to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open being played in Mount Juliet in the last week of September.
‘I know that’s very much in the plans of Keith Pelley, the Chief Executive of the European Tour, that the Irish Open is favourite to go into that date if the Ryder Cup is postponed.’
If the 14-day quarantine rules stay in place, competitors in the US Open on September 17-20 would be unable to play in Mount
Juliet a fortnight later, leading to a weak field and a greatly reduced prize fund.
The PGA Tour yesterday scrapped plans to allow a limited number of fans to attend the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village on July 16-19.
Meanwhile, Seamus Power won €131,895 for tying for 12th behind victorious Bryson DeChambeau in the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit on Sunday.
Power has moved up to 177th in the PGA Tour Money List and up more than 60 places to 432rd in the world rankings. DeChambeau has climbed to world No 7.