No sooner had the PGA of America announced the postponement of the PGA Championship, now joining the Masters on the sidelines due to fears over the Coronavirus pandemic, that the PGA Tour followed 30-minutes later to advise the cancellation of a further four regular season events.
The year’s second Major was due to be staged from May 14-17 on the TPC Harding course in San Francisco.
And in the statement released by the PGA of America, it is revealed they have been liaising with the PGA Tour for an alternate venue and that could very well be later in the year at TPC Sawgrass, host to last week’s cancelled Players Championship.
“Throughout our evaluation process, we have been committed to following the guidance of public health authorities and given the coronavirus shelter-in-place order in effect in San Francisco, postponement is the best decision for all involved,” said PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh.
“This is a reflection of a thoughtful process,” Waugh added. “We are and have been working in concert with Commissioner Jay Monahan and our partners and friends at the PGA TOUR to find an alternative date that works for all. We are all very hopeful for a great outcome.
“We are also in dialogue with Mayor Breed and her team at the City of San Francisco and look forward to hopefully bringing the 2020 PGA Championship to TPC Harding Park at a date this summer when it is once again safe and responsible to do so.”
News of the postponement of now two of the four majors comes less than a week after the Masters announced it was postponing next month’s staging of the 84th Masters. Current World No. 3 Brooks Koepka is the defending PGA Champion.
The Tour announced the cancellation of four further events on the 2019/20 wraparound schedule.
On the recommendations from the Centres for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and the Office of the President of the United States, the Tour has now cancelled the RBC Heritage (April 13-19); Zurich Classic of New Orleans (April 20-26); Wells Fargo Championship (April 27-May 3); and AT&T Byron Nelson (May 4-10).
This brings the total to eight events that the Tour has now cancelled with June’s US Open at Winged Foot now in strong doubt also.
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