In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Arnold Palmer Cup originally scheduled for July 3-5 at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland, will be postponed and rescheduled for December 21-23, 2020.
The competition also has shifted and will take place at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, which hosted the inaugural playing of the Arnold Palmer Cup in 1997. Lahinch Golf Club will now host in 2024.
“We look forward to welcoming the top men and women collegiate golfers to Bay Hill,” said Amy Palmer Saunders. “My father would have wanted to find a way to honor their excellence in these unprecedented times and hosting the rescheduled Arnold Palmer Cup at Bay Hill will be a fitting way to do so. While we are disappointed not to visit Lahinch this summer, we are thrilled that Lahinch has agreed to host in 2024.”
The annual Ryder Cup-style competition features 12 male and female collegiate players from the United States against their International counterparts. Renowned for having been the winter home of Arnold Palmer, Bay Hill has been home to the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational since 1979. Arnold Palmer Cup alumni Francesco Molinari (2019) and Matt Every (2014-15) have claimed victory at Mr. Palmer’s tournament.
Padraig McInerney, tournament director at Lahinch Golf Club stated that “the postponement of this year’s Arnold Palmer Cup is perfectly understandable amidst this current pandemic. While it is a great disappointment for Lahinch Golf Club, its members and the entire local community we remain fully committed to the event and the wonderful concept of honoring young, talented golfers and, in doing so, providing them with the opportunity to experience international competition over some of the world’s great courses. We offer our congratulations to those honored with selection in 2020 and look forward to continuing our relationship with the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, college golf and to hosting the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup.”
The final selection of team members was announced on March 27, but even then the growing coronavirus threat presented great concern for the viability of the matches. The guidance of leading public health authorities will dictate any further changes to the schedule.