CDC Recommendation Could Doom The 2020 PGA Championship (In May)
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There are so many moving parts right now and in the grand scheme of world news, when or if major championships are to be played seems fairly trivial. That said, Sunday evening’s bulletin from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests organizers controlling events consisting of 50 or more to cancel or postpone.
The news would seems likely to end hopes of contesting mid-May’s 2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in its scheduled window, along with too many tournaments to count between now and then.
The 2020 Masters is already postponed. Dreams of a scheduled May playing before Augusta National Golf Club traditionally closes, now seem increasingly unlikely.
Jack Nicklaus said yesterday that he does not see the Masters being played this year.
From the CDC bulletin:
Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.
Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.
Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.
This recommendation does not apply to the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses. This recommendation is made in an attempt to reduce introduction of the virus into new communities and to slow the spread of infection in communities already affected by the virus. This recommendation is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials.
Follow the PGA Championship official Twitter account for the latest updates on tournament status, presumably in the next few days.
Meanwhile, it’s not clear how this recommendation will impact the U.S. Open local qualifyings set for early May. Fields are larger than 50 players, but are also spread out over a course. Of greater concern may be the quarantine area in Westchester County near 2020 U.S. Open host Winged Foot.
This from Luke Kerr-Dineen about sums up the stunning state of golf’s major championship schedule:
***PGA of America’s update:
