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British Open moved to 2021 as golf schedule reworked

Published:Tuesday | April 7, 2020 | 12:07 AM
In this Tuesday April 2, 2019 file photo the Claret Jug is placed on display to the media at Royal Portrush, Dunluce course, Northern Ireland. The organisers of the British Open announced yesterday, that they have decided to cancel the event in 2020 due to the current Covid-19 pandemic and that the Championship will next be played at Royal St George’s in 2021.
Peter Morrison
In this Tuesday April 2, 2019 file photo the Claret Jug is placed on display to the media at Royal Portrush, Dunluce course, Northern Ireland. The organisers of the British Open announced yesterday, that they have decided to cancel the event in 2020 due to the current Covid-19 pandemic and that the Championship will next be played at Royal St George’s in 2021.

The British Open will not be played this year for the first time since 1945, with the R&A choosing to play golf’s oldest championship next year at Royal St George’s and moving the 150th Open at St Andrews to 2022.

It was a major piece of golf trying to reconfigure a schedule brought on by the spread of the new coronavirus.

Golf organisations were expected to announced the PGA Championship moving to August, the US Open going to September, and the Masters to be played in November, two week before Thanksgiving.

All that depends on guidance from government and health authorities.

R&A chief Martin Slumbers said the decision to cancel the British Open was based on guidance from the UK government, health authorities, and public services.

He said that all tickets and other hospitality packages would be shifted to 2021 or fully refunded.