The LPGA is on hold now until June. The tour announced on Friday that the next five events on its schedule have either been postponed or canceled due to the coronavirus crisis. Next up if all goes as planned: the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship June 19-21 in Rogers.
The tour hasn’t staged an event since mid-February. Two of the top three players in the world, Jin Young Ko and Sung Hyun Park, have yet to compete in 2020.
The LPGA laid out its new schedule through September, noting several open weeks for events that had been previously postponed.
The first major of the year now would be the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, held June 25-28 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
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The last major of the year will be the U.S. Women’s Open, which moved to Dec. 10-13. The championship will now be played over two courses for the first time in event history. Both the Cypress Creek and Jackrabbit courses will be used for the championship.
“The Jackrabbit course is really good!” said Stacy Lewis. “It’s tighter off the tee, smaller greens. I’ve played it more than (Cypress Creek). Could be cold and wet weather-wise, but I think we have to do all we can to play as many tournaments as possible this year.”
The new Pelican Women’s Championship in Belleair, Florida, originally scheduled for May 14-17, will now take place Nov. 12-15. The ShopRite LPGA Classic in Atlantic City, New Jersey, originally scheduled for May 29-31, will move to July 31-Aug. 2. The Meijer LPGA Classic in Grand Rapids, Michigan, originally scheduled for June 11-14, is looking to reschedule.
The Pure Silk Championship at Kingsmill, scheduled for May 21-24, won’t be played again until 2021.
“We are so thankful to all our partners for their flexibility and willingness to work with us during this very difficult time,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “This has been a truly collective effort to reschedule tournament dates and work together to provide LPGA players with as many playing opportunities as possible once it is safe for us to resume competing again. As we watch the world come together in this battle against this virus, we are so thankful for all of the support from our valued partners and we continue to wish for the health and safety of all the extended members of our global LPGA family.”
The Kia Classic, which was scheduled to take place in March, will now be held Sept. 24-27 in Carlsbad, California, just after the ANA Inspiration and Cambia Portland Classic.
Should the events in June be pushed back as well, the tour said alternative dates are available. The LPGA is scheduled to be in Asia for four weeks in October and November.
The CME Group Tour Championship wasn’t mentioned in the tour’s release, but it would make sense for it to follow the USWO in Naples, Florida.
LPGA revised 2020 summer schedule
Date | Event and location |
June 19-21 | Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G Pinnacle C.C., Rogers, Arkansas |
June 25-28* | KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Aronimink G.C., Newtown Square, Pennsylvania |
July 2-5 | OPEN FOR TOURNAMENT RESCHEDULE |
July 9-12 | Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana Highland Meadows G.C., Sylvania, Ohio |
July 15-18 | Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational Midland C.C., Midland, Michigan |
July 23-26 | OPEN FOR TOURNAMENT RESCHEDULE |
July 31 – Aug. 2 | ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer Seaview, A Dolce Hotel (Bay Course), Galloway, New Jersey |
Aug. 6-9* | The Evian Championship Evian Resort G.C., Evian-les-Bains, France |
Aug. 13-16 | Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland |
Aug. 20-23* | AIG Women’s British Open Royal Troon G.C., Troon, Scotland |
Aug. 27-30 | UL International Crown |
Sept. 3-6 | CP Women’s Open Shaughnessy G. and C.C., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
Sept. 10-13* | ANA Inspiration Mission Hills C.C., Rancho Mirage, California |
Sept. 17-20 | Cambia Portland Classic Columbia Edgewater C.C., Portland, Oregon |
Sept. 24-27 | Kia Classic Aviara G.C., Carlsbad, California |
* indicates major championship
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