With major sports leagues in the US uncertain about their return in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, golf has made a significant announcement by releasing a new schedule.
What is even more surprising is that there are multiple governing bodies that dictate the schedule for golf.
The regular calendar of events for the PGA Tour is managed by the organization itself. The Masters is operated by Augusta National Golf Club. The USGA oversees the US Open as its major championship. The PGA Championship, distinct from the PGA Tour, is organized by the PGA of America.
Last week, all of these groups convened to establish a new schedule that guarantees no event overlaps while still delivering the most significant tournaments to fans in 2020.
The Open Championship was the only major that could not be rescheduled.
The R&A has an insurance policy that guarantees a significant payout if they cancel the tournament by a certain date. As a result, the 149th Open Championship at Royal St. George’s has been postponed to 2021, while the 150th Open will still take place at the iconic St. Andrews in 2022.
The cancellation created an opening on the schedule from July 16-19 that the PGA Tour is reportedly working to reschedule with one of its previously canceled events.
The PGA Championship starts it off
The PGA Championship is the first major tournament of the year.
The PGA was originally set to start on May 14, but it has now been rescheduled to take place on Aug. 6-9.
TPC Harding Park in San Francisco will host the event as originally planned. Despite rumors that the Bay Area course may lose the major tournament because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a rescheduled date has ensured it remains on the schedule.
TPC Harding Park was a beloved course that used to host PGA Tour events until a decline in conditions began in the 1970s. This deterioration continued until a major renovation in 2002 restored it to its former glory and returned it to the spotlight for professional golf.
Summer’s loaded schedule
The FedExCup playoffs for the PGA Tour have been rescheduled to begin on August 20 and will now last for three weeks.
The BMW Championship is scheduled for August 27-30 at Olympia Fields Country Club in Illinois. Following the Tour Championship, golf’s major events will have a one-week break before the US Open, now set for September 17-20.
Despite being one of the epicenters of the coronavirus outbreak, Mamaroneck, New York will still host the US Open at the renowned Winged Foot Golf Club. Following the tournament, some players will head west to Whistling Straits in Wisconsin for the Ryder Cup, which is set to take place on its original dates of Sept. 25-27 amidst a busy month of championship golf.
The Masters held in an unfamiliar month
Traditionally held on the second weekend of April, golf’s first major of the year, the Masters, is known for its beautiful sights and sounds of spring, with birds chirping and flowers blooming around Amen Corner.
The 2020 Masters has been rescheduled to November 12-15, making it the final major of the year. This change will bring a different atmosphere to Augusta National, with potentially colder weather and browner grass. Despite these unusual conditions, the thought of a year without the Masters would be even more disappointing. Additionally, there will now be two Masters Tournaments scheduled within five months of each other.
Tiger Woods will hold onto his title as Masters champion for a bit longer.
Tiger vs. Phil II?
Despite the challenges of social distancing, WWE has demonstrated that isolated sporting events can still be successfully produced and broadcast for television viewers.
On April 1, rumors began circulating that a second Tiger versus Phil match could happen in May, this time with a twist: Phil Mickelson will be partnering with Tom Brady, while Tiger Woods will team up with Peyton Manning.
The event is set to be broadcast on cable television, most likely on TNT, with all proceeds going towards charities supporting COVID-19 relief efforts. Pending approval from the PGA Tour, the match would serve as a much-needed distraction during these challenging times.
