PGA Tour Cancels Next Four Events Including Players Championship

• The PGA Tour will not be holding any events until at least April 5 after canceling all play because of COVID-19.
• Golf is just the latest sport to cease activities due to what is being called a pandemic.

PALM VALLEY, Fla. – The PGA Tour has canceled the remainder of the Players Championship as well as their next three scheduled events due to the Coronavirus outbreak. After first deciding to close their events to the public and continue to play, a new decision in the form of total cancellations was made late Thursday night by the Tour.

“We have pledged from the start to be responsible, thoughtful and transparent with our decision process,” a statement by the Tour read. “We did everything possible to create a safe environment for our players in order to continue the event through the weekend, and we were endeavoring to give our fans a much-needed respite from the current climate. But at this point – and as the situation continues to rapidly change – the right thing to do for our players and our fans is to pause.”

All PGA related events will be canceled until April 5

At that time, the Tour will re-evaluate the situation and proceed from there, either choosing to resume play or have further cancellations. Fans and sports bettors of the game will be left without golf for about a month. While some players were upset over the decision, others felt it was a smart one.

“More than anything, everyone needs to get tested,” said Rory McIlroy, a top golfer. “For us to keep playing on the PGA Tour, all the Tour players and people who are involved need to get tested and make sure no one has got it.”

The cancellations were unexpected as earlier in the day, Tour commissioner Jay Monahan had said the game of golf would continue on despite COVID-19. However, that changed when nearly every sport decided to suspend or cancel seasons, games, and even championships in the NCAA due to the virus on March 12.

As a precaution to prevent it’s continued spread worldwide, the PGA decided to join all the other sporting organizations that chose to err on the side of caution.

On the morning of March 13, Monahan held a news conference to address the decision.

“As the situation continued to escalate and there seemed to be more unknowns it ultimately became a matter of when, not if, we would need to call it a day. Our goal now is to focus on a plan for the near and long term and maintain the strength we’ve built through our organization over the past 51 years and I am confident we will do exactly that,” said Monahan.

These cancellations will certainly be a big factor for sportsbooks’ profits.

Golf fans of the PGA Tour will need to wait until at least April to see any action on the green. Luckily, Monahan is on top of the COVID-19 crisis and will come up with a course of action that will likely be on par with other organizations and how they plan to move forward amid what is now being called a pandemic.

News tags: Coronavirus | COVID-19 | golf | Jay Monahan | PGA | PGA Tour | Players Championship | Rory McIlroy