The Old Course at Walton Heath, which has staged a US Open qualifier for Europe since 2005

THE qualifiers for the 2020 US Open on both sides of the Atlantic have been scrapped by the United States Golf Association (USGA).

Each year thousands of amateurs, club professionals as well as Tour stars from all over the world enter the USGA’s regional and sectional qualifiers.

They include the event held at Walton Heath GC, in Surrey, every June, in the build up to the US Open.

But the USGA has decided the challenge of staging even the 15 sectional qualifiers is too great while the world is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 90,000 people in the USA.

As a result the 2020 US Open – which is set to be staged at New York’s Winged Foot GC, from September 17-20 – will not be a true Open, relying on bigger exemption categories.

John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s managing director of championships, said: “As you can imagine, this was an incredibly difficult decision, as qualifying is a cornerstone of USGA championships.

“We take great pride in the fact that many thousands typically enter to pursue their dream of qualifying for a USGA championship, and we deeply regret they will not have that opportunity this year.

“But this structure provides the best path forward for us to conduct these championships in 2020.”

The USGA has yet to decide if fans will be allowed to attend the US Open in September – the first four PGA Tour events, which get under way in June at Texas’ Colonial Club, will be behind closed doors.

The first PGA Tour event that MAY admit spectators is the John Deere Classic, in Illinois, in early July.

South African Dean Burmester (right) headed the 14 qualifiers at Walton Heath for last year’s US Open at Pebble Beach. Picture by EUROPEAN TOUR

No decision on crowds at US Open

“We have not yet made a final determination regarding whether spectators will be able to attend the 2020 US Open at Winged Foot Golf Club,” a USGA spokesman said.

“Given the realities of the pandemic, we are recreating the entire championship experience for everyone involved.

“We appreciate and understand everyone’s questions and will provide more information as soon as possible.”

All the changes mean the USGA will now conduct just four championships in 2020 – all at their originally scheduled sites.

The 75th US Women’s Open will now be played at Houston’s Champions Golf Club ,in Texas, from December 10-13.

The 120th US Women’s Amateur, at Maryland’s Woodmont Country Club (August 3-9), and the 120th US Amateur, at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, in Orgegon (August 10-16), will be conducted as scheduled – provided that state and local government guidelines allow them to be played.

Testing and robust health and safety protocols – in line with America’s CDC regulations – will be in place at each of the four championships, the USGA stressed.

All four championships will be conducted without qualifying. That means the fields will be filled entirely through exemptions.

The USGA spokesman added: “Given continued health and safety concerns – as well as the potential burden on allied golf sssociations and the courses scheduled to host qualifying – conducting hundreds of qualifiers across the country for the US Women’s Amateur, US Amateur, US Open and US Women’s Open was not seen as a viable option.

USGA introduced US Open qualifiers in 1924

QUALIFIERS were introduced for the US Open in 1924, because of the surge in entries and interest following World War One.

In 1959, the USGA instituted the two-stage qualifying process. Ken Venturi (1964) and Orville Moody (1969) are the only two golfers to advance through both stages of qualifying and win the U.S. Open.

So far in 2020, 50 players had earned exemptions for the championship by May 18 when the USGA announced it was cancelling this year’s qualifiers.

The USGA will provide more information on the expanded exemption categories which will determine the field for Winged Foot, in the coming weeks.

Four more US amateur championships in 2020 have also been cancelled:–

• US Women’s Mid-Amateur – Berkeley Hall Club, South Carolina, Aug 29-Sept 3
• US Senior Amateur – Country Club of Detroit, Aug 29-Sept 3
• US Mid-Amateur – Kinloch Golf Club and Independence Golf Club, Virginia, Sept 12-17
• US Senior Women’s Amateur – The Lakewood Club, Alabama, Sept. 12-17.

On top of that list, the US Amateur Four-Ball, US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball, US Senior Open, US Senior Women’s Open were cancelled by the USGA in in March and April, while the US Girls’ Junior and US Junior Amateur were added to the list last month.

Ryder Cup set to follow US Open but will fans be present?

THE US Open is set to take place a week prior to the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.

The PGA of America – which organises the biennial event along with the European Tour – have yet to decide whether fans will be admitted or not.

Many leading players from both Europe and the USA – including Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Francesco Molinari, Brooks Kopeka and Jon Rahm – have said the match should be postponed rather than played without its unique atmosphere created by the large, partisan galleries.

•In 2005, Michael Campbell was the last person to come throught the qualifier at Walton Heath, and went on to be crowned US Open Champion at Pinehurst No. 2 as a 200-1 outsider.

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America’s Marco Dawson was the suprise winner of the 2015 Senior Open at Sunningdale – beating Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie to claim the Claret Jug – the R&A has postponed July’s 2020 Senior Open but has not ruled out holding it later in the year

THE 2020 Senior Open at Sunningdale has been postponed due to the continuing threat posed by the spread of the coronavirus.

Europe’s only Senior Major Championship was scheduled to take place on the stunning Old Course at Sunningdale Golf Club, from July 23-25.

Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, an executive director at The R&A, said: “We have made the decision to postpone the Senior Open presented by Rolex following discussions with all stakeholders – and with public health and wellbeing the absolute priority.

“We will continue to investigate alternative options to host The Senior Open later in the year – if at all possible – and will make an announcement in due course.”

Sunningdale last hosted the championship in 2015 when American Marco Dawson claimed the trophy for the first time, ending Bernhard Langer’s hopes of a third Senior Claret Jug.

And it also denied Colin Montgomerie a first Senior Claret Jug, as Dawson produced two eagles in his final round as he reeled in Monty’s four-shot lead with nine holes to play.

Langer went on to win the title in 2017 at Royal Porthcawl, and Langer would have been the defending champion in August, after his two-shot victory over Paul Broadhurst at Royal Lytham, last summer.

The 62-year-old German has a record of 11 Senior Majors to his name as the 1985 Masters winner – the second European to win a Green Jacket at Augusta after Seve’s historic win in 1980 – continues to defy his age.

Langer spoke last month about how much he was looking forward to returning to the club on the Surrey-Berkshire border.

He said: “I am really looking forward to returning to Sunningdale Golf Club.

“I remember the battle I had with Marco and Colin a few years ago, so it will be good to go back and create new memories.

“To win The Senior Open means a great deal as it is one of the highlights of the year and it was a great feeling to lift The Senior Open trophy last season.

“There are new, younger stars taking part every year, making the event one of the toughest to win, and I expect much of the same this time.

“Sunningdale is a special course with a lot of history and I have been in the mix on the two occasions the championship has been held there – so it would mean a lot to perform well once again.”

Sunningdale also hosted the event in 2009 when Lauren Roberts – the Boss of the Moss – beat Fred Funk and Marc McNulty in a play-off on the famous heathland course.

The Old Course was designed by Willie Park Jnr and opened in 1901, with Harry Colt’s New Course opening in 1923.

Mark Aspland, head of the Staysure Tour, said: “The decision to postpone The Senior Open has been made in the best interests of everyone involved.

“Our priority is ensuring the health and safety of all players, spectators and sponsors, and it is therefore the right decision to postpone the event.

‘We will continue to work closely with The R&A, Rolex and other key stakeholders to reschedule the event at a later date when we have further clarity on the global situation.

“Our thoughts are with everyone right now as we continue the global fight against the spread of coronavirus.”

The decision came on Tuesday as the Cabinet – in the absence of Prime Minister Boris Johnson who is recovering at Chequers after spending three days in intensive care last week suffering from COVID-19 – was preparing to extend the current lockdown in the UK as it entered a fourth week.

Bernhard Langer was looking forward to a return to Sunningdale. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Five Senior Majors in 2020 are off

ALL five Senior Majors of the season have either been called off or rearranged because of the coronavirus pandemic.

And the first three dates on the European Seniors Tour calendar have also been postponed.

The Murhof Legends – Austrian Senior Open due to be held at Golfclub Murhof, Frohnleiten, from May 14-16,was cancelled last month along with the Italian Senior Open at Argentario Golf Resort & Spa, in Porto Ecole, from May 23-31.

The French Senior Open – presented by Jean Van De Velde – which was set to be played at Golf d’Arras in Anzin-Saint-Aubin, is another casualty.

The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship – due to be held at Harbor Shores Resort in Michigan’s Benton Harbor, from May 21-24, was the second Seniors Major of 2020 to be called off.

The PGA of America announced it was being cancelled on April 2 – a lockdown order in Michigan was in place until April 13, leaving the organisers not enough time to complete preparations.

PGA of America chief executive Seth Waugh said: “While we are incredibly disappointed, we all understand that protecting public health is the highest priority.

“We are especially disappointed for the Benton Harbor community, our friends at KitchenAid and the fans and volunteers who support this important championship so passionately.”

The Senior PGA will return to Harbor Shores in 2022, the PGA said when it announced the cancellation.

Next year’s Senior PGA Championship will take place at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from May 27-30.

US Senior Open at Newport CC moves to 2021

THE 41st US Senior Open – scheduled for Rhode Island’s Newport Country Club from June 25-28 – was cancelled last week.

The announcement came at the same time as the USGA’s decision to move the US Open back to September was taken, as well as calling off the third US Senior Women’s Open.

The men’s US Senior will now be played at Nebraska’s Omaha Country Club from July 8-11, in 2021.

“Canceling this year’s Senior Open championships was a very difficult decision to make,” said USGA chief exectuive Mike Davis.

“Not only are they important pillars of our championship schedule, but we also value our relationships with both Newport Country Club and Brooklawn Country Club, and were looking forward to staging incredible events there this summer.

“Given the ongoing health and safety issues related to COVID-19 and the significant consolidation of schedules into the back half of 2020, including the postponement of the US Women’s Open and US Open, we felt it necessary to make these unfortunate adjustments to our 2020 championship plans,” Davis added.

The only US Senior Open win for Bernhard Langer came at Sahalee Country Club, in Washington State, in 2010, when he finished three strokes ahead of Fred Couples.

The PGA Champions Tour had already cancelled or postponed four tournaments set to take place in the run up to the Senior PGA.

They included the Regions Tradition – the year’s first Seniors Major, which should have been played at Greystone G&CC in Birmingham, Alabama, from May 7-10.

It has been rescheduled for September 24-27.

The next PGA Tour Champions event on the schedule is the American Family Insurance Championship at Madison, Wisconsin, from June 5-7.

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Roger Chapman will defend his MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles title when he returns to Constance Lemuria for the second leg of the Indian Ocean Swing on the Staysure Tour. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

ROGER Chapman returns to the MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles 12 months after winning the inaugural title at Constance Lemuria.

And the former Kent amateur is relishing the opportunity to reacquaint himself with the stunning Indian Ocean layout.

The two-time Senior Major Champion came from seven shots behind at the start of the final round to lift the trophy in 2018, beating Phillip Price on the first play-off hole after sinking a 30-foot eagle putt.

Chapman, who has four top 10s to his name in 2019, including a share of 10th place at The Senior Open, at St Andrews, is excited to be back on the Indian Ocean island.

“It’s always great to be a defending champion,” said Chapman. “It’s great being in Seychelles and I’m looking forward to defending my title.

“The win meant a lot last year. I was injured at the beginning of the season and had a shoulder operation in the middle of May and did nothing until The Senior Open at St Andrews.”

The Berkshire-based golfer, who was born in Kenya where he lived until he was five, will tee it up in the second staging of the event.

The Seychelles tournament is the second of the three event final series MCB Tour Championship, where the top-performing player will be crowned King of the Swing after the Indian Ocean events.

Chapman, who has five victories worldwide to his name – including the 2012 US Senior Open and US Senior PGA – was crowned both the inaugural King of the Swing and the MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles winner.

The 60-year-old who lives in Ascot. will face a tough test, not just from the players battling for the title, but from the picturesque course which hosted the first European Tour-sanctioned event in Seychelles 12 months ago.

“The course is like an examination,” said the three-time Staysure Tour winner, who believes the Constance Lemuria course, which has serious elevation changes, offers one of the most spectacular views in the world of golf according to the defending champion.

“The paper is there in front of you and you’ve got to do your best,” added Chapman.

“You have to plot your way around this course, like a game of chess, and make sure you hit the fairways.

“The first 12 holes are really, really good and then you get to the 13th tee and you go up, and then you get to the 14th tee and you go up again.

“You think you have to come down sooner or later and then you hit 15, which is probably one of the most beautiful holes in the world.

“The hang time on the shot into the green is close to 10 seconds, which is incredible. Then the par five 16th goes back up the hill before you get to 17 which is a little par three.

“You then arrive at the 18th tee and see the fantastic view but the tee shot puts the fear of God into you.

“It’s not an easy tee shot, especially with the wind. Some guys hit driver, but a lot of guys will take an iron off the tee to make sure they hit the fairway – it’s fraught with danger.”

Chapman will tee off at 11.45am local time alongside the MCB Tour Championship – Madagascar winner Barry Lane.

Also in the field is Europe’s victorious 2014 Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley.

The first round at the MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles gets under way at 9am local time which is four hours ahead of GMT.

•For live scoring at the MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles click here.

Chapman was part of Kent’s golden era

ROGER Chapman was a member of the last Kent team to win the English County Championship in 1978 before their triumph at Huddersfield in September.

Kent took the title by beating Northumberland 5&4 in the final at Frilford Heath.

Chapman’s team-mates included Walker Cup ace Peter Hedges, Paul Hoad, who went on to play on the European Tour and has taught on the circuit, Toby Shannon, who beat Sandy Lyle 10&8 in The Boys Amateur Championship, in 1974.

Chapman, whose only win in 20 years on the European Tour came in Rio de Janeiro, in 2000, was the first Kent player to win the English Amateur Championship in 1979, at Royal St George’s.

He also claimed the Lytham Trophy in 1981, the year he made his Walker Cup debut, where he beat Hal Sutton, twice on the final day, at Cypress Point, in California.

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