The 2020 Ryder Cup will now be played at Wisconsin’s Whistling Straits in 2021

THE 2020 Ryder Cup will not take place in September and the 2021 Presidents Cup has also rescheduled.

Both events will now be played one year later than originally planned with players on both teams – including Rory McIlroy calling for the biennial match between the USA and Europe to be called off if fans could not attend.

The 43rd Ryder Cup, scheduled for the week of September 22-27 at Whistling Straits, in Kohler, Wisconsin, has been rescheduled for the week of September 21-26, 2021.

The PGA of America, Ryder Cup Europe and the PGA Tour jointly announced the changes this afternoon.

The 2021 Presidents Cup – initially scheduled for September 30-October 3, 2021 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina – will now be played from September 23-25, 2022.

Additionally, as a result of the Presidents Cup date change, the Wells Fargo Championship will be played at its traditional venue at Quail Hollow in 2021 – and at TPC Potomac in 2022, during Presidents Cup year.

Both organisations behind the Ryder Cup agreed that the match should not be played without fans.

The decision to reschedule the Ryder Cup was made based on guidance from the USA’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It was also taken in conjunction with the state of Wisconsin and Sheboygan County – with the health and well-being of all involved as the top priority.

Seth: Decision had to be taken now

PGA of America chief executive Seth Waugh said a decision on calling off September’s Ryder Cup had to be made today – 10 weeks before Europe were due to defend the trophy.

He said: “Unlike other major sporting events that are played in existing stadiums, we had to make a decision now about building facilities to host the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.

“It became clear that – as of today – our medical experts and the public authorities in Wisconsin could not give us certainty that conducting an event responsibly with thousands of spectators, in September, would be possible.

“Given that uncertainty, we knew rescheduling was the right call.

“We are grateful to Commissioner Jay Monahan and our partners at the PGA Tour for their flexibility and generosity in the complex task of shifting the global golf calendar.

“As disappointing as this is, our mandate to do all we can to safeguard public health is what matters most.

“The spectators who support both the US and European sides are what make the Ryder Cup such a unique and compelling event.

“And playing without them was not a realistic option.

“We stand united with our partners from Ryder Cup Europe, the NBC Sports Group, Sky and our other broadcast partners around the world.

“We look forward to delivering the Ryder Cup’s renowned pageantry, emotion and competitive drama to a global audience in 2021.”

The last time the Ryder Cup was postponed was after the 9/11 terror attacks on New York. Europe claimed the trophy when it was played at The Belfry a year later in 2002.

Kinnings: Ryder Cup fans’ health comes first

EUROPE’S Ryder Cup director Guy Kinnings was fully behind his American counterparts.

He said: “The Ryder Cup is rightly celebrated as one of the world’s greatest sporting occasions, made special and totally unique in our sport by the fervent atmosphere created by the passionate spectators of both sides.

“While that point is significant, it is not as important as the health of the spectators which, in these difficult times, is always the main consideration.

“We considered all options including playing with a limited attendance. But all our stakeholders agreed this would dilute the magic of this great occasion.

“We therefore stand beside our partners at the PGA of America in the decision to postpone the Ryder Cup for a year, and join with them in extending our thanks to the PGA Tour for their willingness to help by moving the date of the Presidents Cup.”

The last time the Ryder Cup was postponed for 12 months was in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks on New York, with the event moving from 2001 to a year later at The Belfry.

With the decision to play the 2020 Ryder Cup in September 2021, all subsequent Ryder Cups after Whistling Straits will also shift to odd years.

The new dates are:
2023 Marco Simone Golf and Country Club (Rome, Italy)
2025 Bethpage Black – Farmingdale, New York
2027 Adare Manor – County Limerick, Ireland
2029 Hazeltine National Golf Club – Chaska, Minnesota
2031 Europe TBD
2033 The Olympic Club – San Francisco, California
2035 Europe TBD
2037 Congressional Country Club – Bethesda, Maryland

Presidents Cup will be played at Quail Hollow in 2022

AFTER America’s Presidents Cup win in Melbourne, in December, the 14th Presidents Cup, will now be played for the first time in the Southeast United States at Quail Hollow Club, in 2022.

“These two premier international team events are lifted by the spirit of the fans,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.

“With the uncertainty of the current climate, we fully support the Ryder Cup’s decision to delay a year in order to ensure fans could be a part of the incredible atmosphere in Wisconsin.

“And the delay of this year’s Presidents Cup was the right decision in order to allow for that option.

“We are thankful that our global partners, our friends at Quail Hollow Club and all associated with the Presidents Cup and the Junior Presidents Cup have approached this change with a unified, positive spirit.

“We are confident the move will give us even more runway as we bring the Presidents Cup to Charlotte in 2022.”

PRESIDENTS CUP INFORMATION:
▪ Masters champion Trevor Immelman will be the International Team captain in 2022
▪ The US team captain has yet to be announced
▪ Presidents Cup 2022 qualifying will be determined in discussions with the captains and tournament leadership at a later date
▪ Subsequent events have also been postponed for a year
▪ 2024 – International location – TBD
▪ 2026 – TPC Harding Park – San Francisco, California
For more information visit PresidentsCup.com

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Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart – who is now one of Sky Sports top golf pundits – thinks the 2020 Ryder Cup must go ahead – even if fans are banned because of the COVID-19 crisis

EX-Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart warned Europe’s top players they must play against the USA at Whistling Straits in September – because there is no guarantee the COVID-19 crisis could be over in another 12 months’ time.

So even if fans are barred from watching Padraig Harrington’s Europeean team go head to head with Steve Stricker’s American team at the Wisconsisn course, which hosted the USPGA Championship twice between 2004 and 2010, the Scot thinks the 2020 Ryder Cup must be played.

Coltart told Sky Sports Golf viewers: “Thomas Bjorn made a good point that we don’t know where we’re going to be in 12 months.

“We don’t know whether the vaccine is going to be effective or whether they’re going to have a vaccine.

“If the event has to be suspended again because of another spike… goodness me, the economic fallout of that could be catastrophic.”

It means Coltart is in the camp with Ryder Cup captains Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington who have called for the event to go ahead.

Meanwhile Ian Woosnam, the winning captain in Dublin in 2006, has said the Ryder Cup without fans in September would be a disaster.

Coltart’s view that the biennial contest – which has been won by Europe in seven of the last stagings since 2002, the last time the event was rescheduled following the 9/11 terrorist attack on New Year – is not universally popular with the prospective members.

The famous Ryder Cup trophy at Whistling Straits, in Wisconsin – the venue for 2020

Coltart: 2020 will go down in history

RORY McIlroy has led European calls for the event to be postponed – if fans are not going to be allowed at Whistling Straits.

Earlier this month, McIlroy was asked if he would consider refusing to play in a Ryder Cup without fans.

The World No. 1 said he would prefer the tournament to be played in 2021 – if it is not safe for fans to attend because of the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: “Look, I love the Ryder Cup. But I can’t see it without fans.

“I think there are enough people in the game who don’t want the Ryder Cup to happen without the fans.

“So this year it will be played with the fans if we can do that, or we’ll have to figure out kicking it down the road to a later date.

But Coltart believes the players have an obligation to entertain the millions of golf fans who would watch on TV, in addition to the 40,000 crowds expected on all three days.

It would give fans all around the world something to smile about after all the death and disruption as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think if we can go ahead with it we should go ahead with it,” said Coltart, who made his Ryder Cup debut playing against Tiger Woods in the Sunday singlesat the Battle of Brookline, in 1999.

Coltart added: “I totally accept that won’t be an opinion shared by absolutely everybody.

“But nonetheless I think the world has been through a tumultuous period, a very difficult period for a lot of people.

“Some people have come through unscathed, other people have been nowhere near as fortunate.

“Golf is a great opportunity to heal the world – not just the sporting world – but the world in general.

“And I think the Ryder Cup is a fantastic opportunity for that.

“What better than two continents going at it in the cauldron of the Ryder Cup?

“Yes, there won’t be the fans, but people back home are crying out for some sense of normality – something to help pick their lives up from what has been a very, very difficult time.

“I accept that it won’t be like the Ryder Cups of years gone by.”

Rory McIlroy thinks the 2020 Ryder Cup will be postponed until 2021

Rory: No fans, no Ryder Cup

RORY McIlroy has led European calls for the event to be postponed – if fans are not going to be allowed at Whistling Straits.

McIlroy was asked if he would consider refusing to play in a Ryder Cup without fans, earlier this month.

He said: “Look, I love the Ryder Cup. But I can’t see it without fans.

“I think there are enough people in the game who don’t want the Ryder Cup to happen without the fans.

“So this year it will be played with the fans if we can do that, or we’ll have to figure out kicking it down the road to a later date.”

Coltart was one of two players controversially left out of the fourballs and foursomes on the first two days in Boston by captain Mark James.

The USA stormed back from a 10-6 deficit to win amid incredible scenes.

But they sparked one of the biggest rows in Ryder Cup history with accusations of unsporting behaviour levelled at the US team by captain Mark James.

Coltart accepts that the 2020 Ryder Cup is also certain to stand out in the competition’s history – which dates back to the first unofficial match between two teams representing the USA and Great Britain and Ireland at Wentworth in 1926.

The two-time European Tour winner said: “It will be very difficult for them, as they’ll always be remembered as the players who played in that Ryder Cup, or captained that Ryder Cup.

“But I think there’s maybe an obligation to the world to get that game played and to try and get us back to a sense of normality.”

USA captain Steve Stricker and Europe’s Padraig Harrington have discussed playing the Ryder Cup even if fans are barred in September. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Captains caught on either side of Ryder Cup debate

THE debate over holding the 2020 Ryder Cup with or without fans, in September, has split Tour golfers down the middle.

Senior European Tour figures like past captain Paul McGinley and current captain Padraig Harrington have changed their tune since speculation began with the COVID-19 lockdown in March.

While they spent the last couple of months trying to bang the drum for a fan-less Ryder Cup, McIlroy has been consistent in his stance.

McIlroy said in May: “I think the majority of players would like to see it pushed back until 2021 – so that they can play in front of crowds and have the atmosphere that makes the Ryder Cup so special.

“The players are the ones that make the Ryder Cup. If they are not on board with it and don’t want to play then there is no Ryder Cup.

“I see it being pushed back until 2021 and, honestly, I think that will be the right call.”

Ian Woosnam: Ryder Cup is all about the players

RORY made his debut at Celtic Manor in 2010 and has won 13 out of 24 points so far in five appearances.

He was famously almost late on the tee for his Sunday singles at Medinah in 2012. Rory required a police escort to get to the course after getting confused by the US time zones, while watching TV coverage in his hotel room.

Rory arrived with 12 minutes to spare. He beat Keegan Bradley 2&1 as Jose-Maria Olazabal’s team came back from 10-6 down to win 141/2-131/2.

Woosnam, who played in eight consecutive Ryder Cups, said last week: “For me it would be an absolute disaster.”

The first and only Welshman to win the Masters in 1991, told a ‘Ryder Cup at Home Social’ – alongside Peter Baker and Paul Lawrie – last Friday: “It’s all about the fans – the atmosphere, being there.

“I can understand the corporate side of it – and television. But you have to remember the players are playing for nothing, and it’s all about the players really. Everyone wants to be there.”

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