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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Louis Oosthuizen will defend the South African Open title he won at Randpark Golf Club in 2019 but face stiff competition from fellow countrymen including Branden Grace.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES.

DEFENDING champion Louis Oosthuizen would love to make a successful defence of his South African Open title.

But the 2010 Open Champion will have some serious competition from two more home favourites desperate to lift one of the oldest trophies in golf at Johannesburg’s Randpark GC this week.

Oosthuizen has been at the very top of the game ever since he claimed the Claret Jug at St Andrews.

He achieved another long held ambition when winning his national open for the first time 12 months ago.

With Ernie Els eligibile for the senior circuit since last season, Oosthuizen will now become the flagbearer for a proud golfing nation at the age of just 37… and he will have plenty of support.

While 20-somethings Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Brandon Stone and Erik van Rooyen are making a name for themselves at the start of their careers, experienced heads like Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel continue to compete at the very top in their 30s.

Grace and Schwartzel have 19 European Tour wins between them including a Major Championship and a Rolex Series win – but have yet to lift the trophy at the second oldest open in golf.

And Oosthuizen knows all too well how special ending the long wait for that victory is.

“It means a lot,” Oosthuizen said. “I was wanting to win it for a long time. It’s always nice coming back and just playing it, defending it is very special.

“It was a tournament I was really trying to get to win with all the great champions on there: Ernie, Retief (Goosen), Mr Player, all of them. I wanted to have my name on the trophy.

“It was nice having a big lead at the end there so I could take it all in,” added Louis, who will play alongside Bezuidenhout on the Bushwillow Course, at 8.35am local time, in Thursday’s first round.

The last player to win the South African Open back to back was another South African Major winner Trevor Immelman in 2003 and 2004 – the second victory four years before he claimed a Green Jacket at the Augusta Masters.

Schwartzel – the 2011 Masters winner – secured his seventh top five at this event last season.

But the South African – who claimed the Brabazon Trophy at the English Amateur Strokeplay at Royal Cinque Ports, in Kent 18 years ago as an 17-year-old – saw the rest of his 2019 campaign derailed by a wrist injury.

A top three on his return at the Alfred Dunhill Championship before Christmas showed Charl is close to a full recovery.

And Schwartzel is aching to get over the line at Randpark Golf Club for a ninth European Tour win in South Africa – having won the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopark Creek four times between 2004 and 2015.

“It’s been a quest of mine for quite some time,” said Schwartzel. “I’ve come real close a lot of times, I’ve thrown one or two away, but at least I’ve been up there quite a few times.

“Hopefully I’ll break through. It’ll be a dream come true. As a South African, it’s definitely high on the list.”

Grace won his first European Tour title at the 2012 Joburg Open and has since added the biggest titles in South African golf with the Alfred Dunhill Championship, the Dimension Data Pro-Am and the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

And the 31-year-old feels a win this week can complete his set on home soil although three of the last five winners have been English – Sullivan, Graeme Storm (2017) and Chris Paisley (2018), although they all won at Glendower GC.

“This is the one that I’m missing,” Grace said. “This is the one that I need, this is the one that is short for me to win it all in South Africa.

“I’ve been close a few times now so hopefully the time is ticking on for me to put my hands on this one.

“It would mean the world,” added Grace, who will join Van Rooyen and 2015 winner Andy Sullivan in their three-ball, which tees off at 11.55am local time on the Firethorn Course.

The latter will host the weekend’s play after the 240-strong field have played a round on each of the two courses being used this week.

•For tee times for the first round of the South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg, click here. To follow first round scoring click here.

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Branden Grace will compete for a first prize which has increased by $1m to $2.5m at next month’s Nedbank Challenge at Sun City. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

HOME-favourite Branden Grace is excited to tee it up in the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player as Sun City and Gary Player Country Club celebrate their 40th anniversary, from November 14-17.

The South African delighted the home crowds with his eighth European Tour victory two years ago, finishing one stroke ahead of Scott Jamieson.

Grace will be seeking a fourth victory on home soil this November – adding to his 2012 Joburg Open and 2015 Alfred Dunhill Championship victories when Sun City stages the seventh Rolex Series event on the 2019 Race to Dubai.

Set to tee it up in Africa’s Major for the sixth time, Grace can’t wait to return home to play golf for the final time in the 2019 season.

“Sun City and Gary Player Country Club is such an iconic venue for South African golfers,” said Grace, who became the first native golfer to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge since Trevor Immelman 10 years earlier.

“This is an event steeped in history, and to win two years ago was very special.

“I have a lot of happy memories from playing there – it’s a demanding, but fair test.

“The work the team did in constructing and maintaining the golf course all those years ago is astonishing, and it is certainly one of the best courses we play all year.

“I can’t wait to play in front of a home crowd again and I’m hoping for another good week as we celebrate the venue’s 40th anniversary.”

Tournament host Gary Player said: “It’s wonderful to have Branden back at Sun City. Who can forget his 50-foot putt on the 16th hole in the final round in 2017 which was in my opinion his finest moment of that final round.

“It gave him a one-stroke lead and he carried it on to his first Rolex Series victory. There was immense pressure to end a decade-long drought of South African winners and Branden responded like a true champion.”

Nedbank Group chief executive Mike Brown said: “Former champions are an integral part of the history of the Nedbank Golf Challenge and they add tremendously to the quality of the field.

“We’re delighted to have Branden back with us as our last South African winner of ‘Africa’s Major’.”

Sun International chief executive Anthony Leeming said: “To have our last two champions competing again this year – Nottinghamshire’s Lee Westwood and Branden Grace – is another wonderful endorsement of the quality of our field.

“Branden’s victory in 2017 was the first by a South African since Trevor Immelman in 2007.

“In what is such a significant year for Sun City and the Gary Player Country Club and our 40th celebrations, we’re delighted to have the last South African winner in our field again.”

Grace joins compatriot and Major winner Louis Oosthuizen in a field which also includes Europe’s 2020 Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington and Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood – the latter returns to defend his first Rolex Series title.

Westwood’s three-stroke victory over Sergio Garcia last year saw him become the first European golfer to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge three times, following his victories in 2010 and 2011.

The Nedbank Golf Challenge will enhance its status as one of world golf’s elite tournaments this season with an increase in both the first place prize money and Race to Dubai points.

The winner of the 2019 Nedbank Golf Challenge will take home $2.5million, a big increase on the $1.25million won by Westwood last year.

The overall prize fund remains at $7.5million, with the balance of the 63-player field from second place onwards playing for a $5million prize fund.

This year’s tournament also offers an increased haul of Race to Dubai points from 7,500 to 10,000, which places it above what the World Golf Championships tournaments offer.

•General access tickets and luxury return shuttles for the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player can be bought by clicking here.

If you are looking for an unforgettable experience, Circa has once again put together hospitality packages for the event, which can be purchased by clikcing here.

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