The global nature of the Masters – for both players and fans – is not lost on six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus. From that standpoint, Augusta National Golf Club’s decision to postpone the tournament was a wise one in Nicklaus’ eyes.
In fact, Nicklaus was one of the people whom Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley spoke to before making the decision, as Nicklaus revealed when he called into ESPN’s SportsCenter on March 13.
“I talked to Fred and he had said that they debated it a long time and they felt it was the right thing to do, and I agree with him,” Nicklaus said. “I think it was the right thing to do.”
Augusta announced on March 13 that it would postpone the Masters indefinitely – along with the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals – as the world reacts to a coronavirus outbreak. The Players Championship had also been canceled, mid-tournament, by that time and so had the next four PGA Tour events leading up to the Masters.
“Unfortunately, the ever-increasing risks associated with the widespread Coronavirus COVID-19 have led us to a decision that undoubtedly will be disappointing to many, although I am confident is appropriate under these unique circumstances,” Ridley said in a statement, adding that the club hoped it would be in position to safely host the Masters and its other amateur events “at some later date.”
Had the Masters gone on as planned, Nicklaus isn’t sure he would have gone, as he told ESPN.
The next question is whether or not the Masters can find its way back onto the 2020 calendar. Nicklaus isn’t sure if that will happen, either.
“In all practicality… they’re postponing but I can’t see any way that they would play it at a later date,” he told ESPN. “I think it’s just, how in the world could they work it into the schedule? It wouldn’t be fair to any other tournament that’s later. I think we’re probably going to miss the Masters this year, that’s just my opinion.”
It’s true that the Masters would come up against many other events already scheduled in the golf world.
After the British Open is played July 16-19, the Olympics will take place July 30-Aug. 2. The 2020 schedule ends with the Tour Championship, to be played Aug. 27-30. But this is also a Ryder Cup year, and those matches are scheduled to take place Sept. 22-27 at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.
The 2020-21 wraparound PGA Tour season remains unofficial, but would likely begin in September with a tournament scheduled every week throughout the fall.
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