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The PGA Tour yesterday announced plans to resume back to its season in mid-June, becoming the first major professional sports league to confirm a resumption date.
The remaining calendar has, however, been modified as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2019-20 season, which was halted on March 12 due to Covid-19, is scheduled to resume with the June 11-14 Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.
The event was originally set to be held from May 21-24.
The Tour will also reinstate the RBC Heritage in South Carolina, which was initially cancelled, and the June 18-21 tournament is the next one on the schedule after the Charles Schwab Challenge.
However, the Canadian Open, originally set to run June 11-14, has been scrapped because of border travel restrictions between the United States and Canada.
The first four events, including the June 22-28 Travelers Championship in Connecticut and July 2-5 Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, will also be closed to the general public.
On the closed-door events, the Tour said it will continue to monitor the Covid-19 situation and follow the recommendations of local and state authorities.
“As we’ve stressed on several occasions, we will resume competition only when – working closely with our tournaments, partners and communities – it is considered safe to do so under the guidance of the leading public health authorities,” Tour commissioner Jay Monahan added in a statement.
“The health and safety of all associated with the PGA Tour and our global community continues to be our No. 1 priority, and our hope is to play a role – responsibly – in the world’s return to enjoying the things we love.”
If play restarts as planned, the season, during which 22 tournaments through to the Arnold Palmer Invitational have been completed, now consists of 36 events, with 10 cancelled, including the British Open.
The Tour also revealed its schedule for the 2020-21 season, with the Sept 10-13 Safeway Open in Napa, California kicking off the season.
While golf fans were relieved to finally hear about concrete dates, with many tweeting it “was the best news I’ve heard”, Canadian players were disappointed to learn the country’s sole event on the Tour did not make the cut.
“It sucks,” said Nick Taylor, winner of February’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California. “This is a tournament I circle on my calendar.”
The rescheduled US Open, Masters and PGA Championship Majors, as well as September’s Ryder Cup, will continue as planned.
