The LPGA announced on Tuesday that this weekend’s Cambia Portland Classic will be reduced to a 54-hole event and will start on Friday at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon.
The change comes because wildfires are still burning in the Pacific Northwest, generating poor air quality in the region.
“As we have said throughout recent months, 2020 has been the year of health and safety, and this situation is no different,” said Heather Daly-Donofrio, the LPGA’s Chief Tour Operations Officer in a statement. “Our meteorologist says that it is unlikely that air-quality conditions will improve before midday Thursday, and we cannot risk the health of our players, staff, volunteers, broadcast crew and others at the golf course. This is not a choice we made lightly, but we are confident that this is the right decision. We are so appreciative of our partners at Cambia Health Solutions as they continue to support the LPGA Tour through this incredibly challenging 2020 season.”
The golf course was closed on Tuesday and player news conferences were canceled. Wednesday’s pro-am has been canceled as well.
Canadian Brooke Henderson, who finished T-2 at last week’s ANA Inspiration, has already withdrawn from the Portland Classic due to concerns about the hazardous air quality. Two of Henderson’s nine LPGA wins have come at this event.
Australia’s Hannah Green is the reigning champ.
Golf Channel will have tape-delayed coverage of the Cambia Portland Classic on Friday from 9-11 p.m. ET, Saturday from 9:30-11:30 p.m. ET; and Sunday from 8-10 p.m. ET. Coverage will be live-streamed on GolfChannel.com and the Golf Channel app on Friday and Saturday from 6:30-9:30 p.m. ET and Sunday from 4-7 p.m. ET.