The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
European Tour to restart in style
Golf: Six events in six weeks with Scots Open in October as new schedule is released
The European Tour will resume on July 22 with a run of six tournaments over six weeks in the UK, while the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open is set to take place in October.
The tour’s schedule has been wiped out since March due to the coronavirus pandemic but a return date has now been set, with the British Masters at Close House near Newcastle the opening tournament in July.
That will be followed by the English Open at Marriott Forest of Arden in Birmingham from July 30 to August 2 before the English Championship at Marriott Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire from August 6-9.
The Celtic Classic and the Wales Open will take place in successive weeks at Celtic Manor before the UK Championship at The Belfry on August 27-30.
The Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, initially scheduled for July 8-11, will take place at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick from October 8-11.
Three other Rolex Series events – the BMW PGA Championship, Nedbank Golf Challenge and the DP World Tour Championship – have also been announced.
The season will run through until December, with all tournaments played behind closed doors and subject to strict safety and testing protocols. A lifting of the Government’s two-week quarantine when arriving in the country will also be required.
European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: “Since the suspension of our 2020 season in early March, we have taken a measured approach in reassessing our schedule, informed every step of the way by our medical advisers and government guidance.
“We have consistently said that safety is our absolute priority and that is why we are announcing our resumption in two months’ time supported by a comprehensive health strategy which has been led by our medical team.
“W i t h o u t question we have had to think differently about the remainder of our 2020 season which is reflected in today’s announcement.
“As golf ’s global tour, diversity is ordinarily one of our biggest strengths, but in this instance it has become one of our biggest challenges.
“Initially, therefore, based on the expert guidance we received, playing in clusters, in one territory, is the best option in terms of testing, travel and accommodation.”
While the Race To Dubai will still see a champion named in December, the European Tour’s committee has decided that no player will lose his card this year, nor will there be any formal graduations from the Challenge Tour.
Pelley added: “We recognise that when we resume playing golf, each player’s circumstances will be different.
“We therefore do not want to put anyone in a position whereby they feel they have no choice other than to play in certain events in order to protect their livelihood.
“Similarly, the feeling was that it was not fair to disadvantage any member who might want to play in an event but who might not be able to due to ongoing travel restrictions.
“Therefore, in consultation with our tournament committee, it was agreed preserving their exempt status for 2021 was the fairest solution in these unprecedented times.”