Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup postponed by a year each

By Rahul Banerji

In yet another hammer-blow handed out by the corona-virus pandemic, the Ryder Cup this year and the Presidents Cup of 2021 have been put back by a year each.

The reason: No spectators.

In a statement on Thursday, PGA of America chief executive Seth Waugh. Said, “Unlike other major sporting events played in existing stadiums, we had to make a decision now about building facilities to host the 2020 Ryder Cup.

“It became clear that as of today, our medical experts and the public authorities in Wisconsin could not give us certainty that conducting an event responsibly with thousands of spectators in September would be possible.

“Given that uncertainty, we knew rescheduling was the right call.

“As disappointing as this is, our mandate to do all we can to safeguard public health is what matters most.

“The spectators who support both the US and European sides are what make The Ryder Cup such a unique and compelling event and playing without them was not a realistic option.”

Same venue

The bi-annual tournament between the United States and Europe was to be hosted by the former as the Whistling Straits course in Wisconsin between September 25 and 27.

It will now be held at the same venue from September 24 to 26 next year.

Europe are the defending champions of this spectator-driven showdown that draws massive crowds, including record numbers in Paris two years ago.

As a consequence, the Presidents Cup between the USA and an Internationals team played in Ryder Cup gap years, has also been postponed, to 2022.

Winners in 2019, the USA will also host the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow in North Carolina.

Closed doors

Though the PGA Tour returned with an amended schedule from last month with four events completed, they have all been played behind closed doors, as is most professional sport around the world.

These include several European football leagues and a Test series between the West Indies and England that got under way at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Thursday.

According to ESPN, which broke the Ryder Cup news, US captain Steve Stricker said the move was the correct one.

“While it is disappointing that the Ryder Cup won’t be played this year, the decision to reschedule is the right thing to do under the circumstances.

“At the end of the day, we want to stage a Ryder Cup that will rival all other Ryder Cups in my home state of Wisconsin, and now we have the opportunity to showcase the event as it was meant to be seen.

“The players are the ones that make the Ryder Cup. If they are not on board with it and don’t want to play then there is no Ryder Cup. I see it being pushed back until 2021, and, honestly, I think that will be the right call.”

The BBC said the European Tour had said qualifying had been frozen until the beginning of 2021.

Also, the next Ryder Cup to be held in Europe has been pushed back a year with Rome as the 2023 host.

Also read: Ryder Cup minus on-site fans, or even a 2021 date is possible