Two More Golf Events Cancelled Due To COVID-19 Pandemic
- IGF Announces 2020 World Amateur Team Championships Cancelled Due To Continued Uncertainty Of COVID-19 Pandemic
- DCM PGA Women’s Championship Of Canada Cancelled Due To COVID-19
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (May 6, 2020) – The International Golf Federation announced today that the 2020 World Amateur Team Championships scheduled for October have been cancelled due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This decision follows the IGF’s announcement in February that the biennial event for men and women, originally to be held in Hong Kong, was moving to Singapore due to ongoing social unrest in Hong Kong.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IGF continued to work with the Singapore Golf Association (SGA) to host both competitions at Tanah Merah Country Club and Sentosa Golf Club on the same dates as planned, with the Espirito Santo Trophy for women scheduled from October 14-17 and the Eisenhower Trophy for men from October 21-24.
“This unprecedented decision was due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty that this has caused to ensuring that the 2020 WATC could be staged successfully,” said IGF Executive Director Antony Scanlon. “But most importantly, it was made to safeguard the health and safety of all athletes, officials and volunteers at the 2020 WATC, to which there was no certainty that this risk could be mitigated to an acceptable level.”
“I would also note that we gave thoughtful consideration to postponing the Championships to 2021,” Scanlon continued. “However, this would have created considerable scheduling and logistical issues that were insurmountable, plus we still could not say with absolute certainty that we could hold it without risk next year. Therefore, it is preferred that the IGF look forward to focusing on and delivering a wonderful 2022 event in France.”
Dating back to 1958, the World Amateur Team Championships include up to 72 countries competing in 72 holes of stroke play competition. Each country fields two or three players with the two lowest scores counting per round.
DCM PGA Women’s Championship Of Canada Cancelled Due To COVID-19
ACTON, ON (May 6, 2020) — The PGA of Canada, together with title sponsor DCM, has made the difficult decision to cancel the DCM PGA Women’s Championship of Canada amid the COVID-19 public health crisis.
The championship was slated for June 8-10 at Oshawa Golf & Curling Club.
“Knowing how much this event means to those who compete in it, we are disappointed to have to make this decision,” says Adam LeBrun, managing director of championships and foundation at the PGA of Canada. “As always, our top priority remains the health and safety of our players, staff and volunteers. We are evaluating several options to provide our female members with the opportunity to compete later in the season when it is safe and responsible to do so. We look forward to providing updates when more information becomes available.”
It should also be noted that female PGA of Canada professionals are eligible to participate in other national member championships with a reduced yardage as approved by the association's board of directors last November. The policy can be seen here.
The event has drawn an impressive field of domestic and international talent in recent years thanks to the combined efforts of the association and lead sponsor DCM, who has demonstrated a tremendous commitment to the betterment of women's professional golf.
“We are proud partners of the PGA of Canada, and continue to support opportunities for female professional golfers to compete and develop as athletes, be it through this championship or our Power Up Bursary program,” says DCM President and CEO Greg Cochrane. “We are committed to this partnership and will be working with the PGA of Canada to conduct this national championship for years to come.”
DCM continues to actively support female golfers through the Power Up Bursary; the 2019-2020 recipients are Casey Ward, Megan Osland, Josée Doyon, Elizabeth Tong, Maddie Szeryk, Selena Costabile (also a Power Up recipient for 2018-2019), and Jessica Porvasnik, winner of the DCM PGA Women's Championship of Canada in 2018.
The storied national championship, which was first contested in 1987, has seen several notable players hoist the trophy, including Cathy Sherk, Nancy Harvey, Lorie Kane, Brooke Henderson, and last year’s winner Rebecca Lee-Bentham, to name a few.
Lee-Bentham set the course record at the Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto last July, winning in spectacular fashion after shooting a final-round 9-under-par 63.
Announcements for all other upcoming PGA of Canada national championships will be made closer to the event dates.