LPGA stars set to compete at Texas Women’s Open next week
Two-time major winner Stacy Lewis and former US Women’s Open winner Brittany Lang will tee it up at the Texas Women’s Open next week in Dallas. American’s Lewis and Lang will be joined by several other US LPGA players, including Cheyenne Knight, France’s Celine
Boutier, Maria Fassi, of Mexico, and Gerina Piller for the June 2-4 event.
The Texas Women’s Open used to be an LPGA Tour event in the 1950s, but is now sanctioned by the North Dallas chapter of the PGA of America. It was first played in 1933 and previous winners include Babe Zaharias and Betsy Rawls. The three-day, $50,000 tournament begins next Tuesday at the Old American Golf Club outside of Dallas, Texas. Both Lang and Lewis were raised in Texas. The LPGA remains on hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It shut down in February after just four events, two in Florida and two in Australia, and isn’t scheduled to return until July. Many of the same players had expected to be in Texas next week for the US Women’s Open in Houston before officials moved that event to December. The Texas Open will not allow fans, but golf matches in the state with spectators may not be far away. Governor
Greg Abbott plans to allow professional leagues to host fans again for outdoor sporting events at up to 25% capacity. Leagues, like the LPGA, will have to apply to state health officials to be allowed to have fans. Indoor events will still be without spectators.
US PGA JOHN DEERE CLASSIC CANCELLED
The John Deere Classic, in position to be the first US PGA Tour event to be played with spectators since the coronavirus pandemic, has been cancelled, the tour confirmed on Thursday. Multiple media outlets had reported the event, scheduled for July 9-12 in Silvis, Illinois, would not be staged this year.
The Classic, won last year by South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli, is a staple at TPC Deere Run and was scheduled to be the fifth tournament in the tour’s return since it shut down in March. Ongoing coronavirus restrictions in the state of Illinois ban gatherings of more than 50 people and those were expected to still be in place during the week of the John Deere event. Rory McIlroy plans to be among the golfers in the first return event, the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial on June 11-14 without spectators at Fort Worth, Texas. Three other events are set to be played without fans — the Heritage in South Carolina, the Travelers Championship in Connecticut and the Rocket Mortgage Classic.