PGA Championship set to be year's first major in August; US Open moved to September, with Masters in mid-November; Ryder Cup stays in allotted September week
Monday 6 April 2020 17:53, UK
The Masters, US Open and PGA Championship have all been rescheduled for later this year, while The 149th Open will not be played until 2021.
A statement jointly issued by the organisers of all four majors announced new dates for three of the four grand slam tournaments, although it has been made clear they will only be played "only if it is safe and responsible to do so".
The PGA Championship is now scheduled to be the first major of the year in August, just two weeks after The Open was due to be played at Royal St George's, while the US Open has been put back from June to September with the Masters moving to mid-November.
The PGA of America also insisted that the Ryder Cup remained on course to be held at Whistling Straits during its allotted week of September 22-27.
The statement issued all the main governing bodies in golf confirmed the new dates for the following:
USGA: The US Open, previously scheduled for June 15-21 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, has been officially rescheduled for September 14-20 and is confirmed to remain at Winged Foot.
The R&A: The R&A has decided to cancel The Open in 2020 due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, and the Championship will next be played at Royal St. George's in 2021. The Open was due to be played in Kent, England, from July 12-19, but it has been necessary to cancel the Championship based on guidance from the UK Government, the health authorities, public services and The R&A's advisers.
PGA of America: The PGA of America is announcing today that the PGA Championship is now scheduled to take place August 3-9 and will remain at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, California. The PGA Championship was originally slated for May 11-17 but was postponed on March 17.
Furthermore, the PGA reconfirmed the Ryder Cup remains as originally scheduled, September 22-27, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.
Augusta National Golf Club: Augusta National has identified November 9-15 as the intended dates to host the 2020 Masters Tournament, which was previously scheduled for April 6-12 and postponed on March 13.
The joint statement added: "United by what may still be possible this year for the world of professional golf, and with a goal to serve all who love and play the game, Augusta National Golf Club, European Tour, LPGA, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, The R&A and USGA have issued the following joint statement:
"This is a difficult and challenging time for everyone coping with the effects of this pandemic. We remain very mindful of the obstacles ahead, and each organization will continue to follow the guidance of the leading public health authorities, conducting competitions only if it is safe and responsible to do so.
"In recent weeks, the global golf community has come together to collectively put forward a calendar of events that will, we hope, serve to entertain and inspire golf fans around the world. We are grateful to our respective partners, sponsors and players, who have allowed us to make decisions - some of them, very tough decisions - in order to move the game and the industry forward.
"We want to reiterate that Augusta National Golf Club, European Tour, LPGA, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, The R&A and USGA collectively value the health and well-being of everyone, within the game of golf and beyond, above all else. We encourage everyone to follow all responsible precautions and make effort to remain healthy and safe."