The PGA Tour announced on Thursday, April 16th, the latest schedule changes in hopes of salvaging a 2019-2020 season plagued by the COVID-19 global pandemic. The projected date of return is set on Jun 11th to start the Charles Schwab Challenge at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
The RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, South Carolina, which had been canceled, was put back on the schedule and will follow the Charles Schwab Challenge on June 18-21. The Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, would be next in line June 25-28, followed by the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit July 2-5.
What will be different this time around is that the first four events will be held without fans. This will be a guinea pig test of sorts for the sporting world, as you would assume that the other leagues will be keeping a close eye on following in the PGAs footsteps with coronavirus precautions. The John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois, July 9-12, would be the first event where fans will be allowed back on the tournament grounds (obviously will have a wait and see approach from the success of the previous events).
Since the season came to a halt March 13 with the cancellation of The Players Championship after the first round, PGA Tour officials have held several meetings to discuss plans for the remainders of both the calendar year and the next two tour seasons. Currently, the adjusted schedule for the 2019-2020 season consists of 36 events – down from 49 – with 22 having been played. To date, 10 events have been canceled from the current season, including the Players Championship and the Open Championship.
Here’s a quick look at what the projected schedule of Major Championships over the next two seasons will look like:
-Masters in November 2020 and April 2021
-U.S. Open in September 2020 and June 2021
-PGA Championship in May 2021
-Open Championship in July 2021
Four-time major champion Brooks Koepka isn’t necessarily buying the fact that he’ll be playing golf as soon as mid-June –
“I hope we start in June. I just think it’s a little unrealistic,” Koepka said in a live Q-and-A broadcast on Instagram earlier this week. “You have to think about all these guys that are going to be in airports flying everywhere. There are so many guys. Everything has to be cleaned… Is it really possible? I hope so. There is nothing more I’d love than to be back playing. I hope I’m wrong.”
We’ll have to just wait and see, Brooks. For the time being though, you can take a quick peek at prop bets for events and Major Championships right here.
