Three of the four major championships in golf — the Masters, the U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship — announced new dates last week, and now the PGA TOUR is reportedly on the verge of unveiling its schedule.
Golf events could restart as soon as this week
PGA TOUR officials are expected to announce a decision to restart their season as soon as this week, according to a Golf Digest article Tuesday night, which, like all other sports leagues, has been on pause because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Charles Schwab Challenge could start in June
The TOUR, which suspended play after last month’s opening round of The Players Championship, is thought to be considering an 11-14 June restart with the Charles Schwab Challenge, albeit with no spectators permitted at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
The TOUR is keen to follow the safety standards set by government and health authorities and it is highly probable, if not likely, to continue the subsequent activities on the ground until further notice without the spectators.
The report reported that during a conference call on Tuesday, PGA Tour officials addressed those plans with the Players Advisory Council.
RBC Canadian Open cancelled, but other events will proceed
According to the article, the RBC Canadian Open, originally scheduled for June 11–14, will not be played. Following the Charles Schwab Challenge, the TOUR has an opportunity for a “Potential PGA TOUR Tournament” on its calendar from June 18-21, when the U.S. Open at Winged Foot was to be played until the USGA declared its postponement to September.
The report said the tour is expected to move the RBC Heritage, which was originally scheduled to be played at Harbor Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, S.C. this week, to the vacant U.S. Hole available.
The RBC Heritage schedule includes the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. (25-28 June; the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club, 2-5 July), the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. (9-12 July) and the Memorial at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio (16-19 July); the 3 M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn., 23-26 July; the WGC-FedEx St.
The rest of the schedule includes dates the TOUR announced last week, beginning with the PGA Championship (at Harding Park in San Francisco,Aug. 6-9). Then comes the Wyndham Championshipat Sedgefield C.C. in Greensboro, N.C., (Aug. 13-16), the Northern Trust (Aug. 20-23), the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields, Ill.,(Aug. 27-30) and the TOUR Championship at East Lake G.C. in Atlanta.,(Sept. 3-7).
The comes the run of majors kick off with the U.S. Open at Winged Foot, (Sept. 17-20), the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, (Sept. 25-27) and the Masters (Nov. 12-15).
What about spectators?
When any of these events — if any at all — will allow spectators is a fluid situation. PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh, in a Tuesday interview on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio, said that among the other contingencies in place for the PGA Championship is holding the tournament without spectators or taking it out of California.
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