THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP will not take place at all this year.
Organisers have cancelled the event, which was due to take place at Royal St George’s from 12-19 July, following talks with the Government, health authorities and public services.
The Kent course will host the competition next year instead – from 11-18 July – with St Andrews still hosting the 150th Open, but a year later than scheduled in 2022.
“Obviously, like everybody else I’m very sad and disappointed that the R&A have had to cancel this year’s Open Championship,” defending champion Shane Lowry said in a short video message.
“At the end of the day, people’s health and safety come way before any golf tournament and I’m sure the R&A have thought long and hard about this and have made their decision based on everybody’s health and safety.
You can trust me when I say the Claret Jug is going to be in safe hands for another year.
Obviously im disappointed that I won’t get to defend the Open championship this year but I feel the RandA have made the right decisions based on people’s health and safety. See you all in Royal St George’s in 2021 pic.twitter.com/zr7uS80lgH
— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) April 6, 2020
In his statement, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “Our absolute priority is to protect the health and safety of the fans, players, officials, volunteers and staff involved in the Open. We care deeply about this historic championship and have made this decision with a heavy heart.
“We appreciate that this will be disappointing for a great many people around the world but we have to act responsibly during this pandemic and it is the right thing to do.
“I can assure everyone that we have explored every option for playing The Open this year but it is not going to be possible.
“There are many different considerations that go into organising a major sporting event of this scale. We rely on the support of the emergency services, local authorities and a range of other organisations to stage the Championship and it would be unreasonable to place any additional demands on them when they have far more urgent priorities to deal with.”
The R&A says this year’s remaining professional and amateur championships are under review.
The European Tour earlier confirmed the postponement of its events in Morocco and Stockholm in June.
The Trophee Hassan II, scheduled for Rabat from 4 June, and the Scandinavian
Mixed, from 11 June, will be rescheduled at a later date.
The Lalla Meryem Cup on the Ladies European Tour, which was due to run concurrently with the Trophee Hassan II, has also been postponed.
