The PGA Tour logged its first competitive rounds since mid-March this weekend at the Charles Schwab Challenge, an event that went off without fans. As it turns out, the year’s first major is going to look very similar. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Ron Kroichick reported on Monday that the PGA Championship would hold its Aug. 6-9 date and that the event would still be played at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, but that fans would not attend.
According to the Chronicle, the PGA of America is expected to announce the news on Tuesday.
The PGA Championship was originally scheduled for May 14-17 but was pushed back in the season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
While the Tour’s first four events back – the Charles Schwab Challenge through the Rocket Mortgage Classic to be played July 2-5 in Detroit – will not have fans, at least one scheduled event before the PGA Championship will. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has already cleared the way for a limited number of fans, wearing masks, to attend the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, on July 16-19.
Interestingly, tickets for the PGA Championship were still available online Monday. The Chronicle reported that fans who purchased would be given refunds.
PGA of America SEO Seth Waugh said during a PGA Tour Radio show on SiriusXM in April that the goal was to hold the event with fans but that Plan B would be to keep it at Harding Park without fans. It appears Plan B is playing out.
The PGA of America faces another decision in the coming weeks, and that’s whether to hold the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, on its scheduled dates of Sept. 25-27.
