Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Cancels 2020 Season
The Full-Operational Focus For The Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada Points Toward A 2021 Restart - Image Courtesy Mackenzie Tour/Golf Canada
TORONTO, ONTARIO – Due to border restrictions, mandatory quarantines for those entering Canada and gathering restrictions in all provinces because of COVID-19, the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced Friday that it is canceling its 2020 season.
“With growing uncertainty surrounding the border and the 14-day quarantine regulations, among other factors, we’ve weighed all of our options and concluded that it is not feasible to play this summer,” said Mackenzie Tour Executive Director Scott Pritchard.
“With the safety of the communities we play in mind, as well as the well-being of our players, sponsors, tournament-organizing committees, volunteers and golf course staff, we came to the realization that this is the best decision for everyone involved.
“We also wanted to be considerate of our players and their desires to play golf,” Pritchard added. “Understanding the complexities that this pandemic has caused, we knew it wasn’t fair to leave our members in positions that might prevent them from pursuing other playing opportunities elsewhere while waiting to see what transpired in Canada.”
The 2020 season was set to be the Mackenzie Tour’s eighth, with 13 scheduled tournaments—the most in the Tour’s history.
“We had built a lot of momentum coming into this season, and we were excited to continue making a positive impact in the communities where we play, while also providing opportunities for our players to progress to the PGA TOUR,” continued Pritchard. “Our commitment to our tournaments and their local communities, as well as our players, is unwavering, and we’re going to use this time to come back stronger in 2021.”
The Tour has already sent Mackenzie Tour members information regarding eligibility for the 2021 season. Status for prior members will be based on Order of Merit results from the 2019 season, with the top-60 players exempt.
Meanwhile, players who earned status at the three-completed 2020 Qualifying Tournaments will retain status for the 2021 season, and those Qualifying Tournament entrants yet to compete will be guaranteed spots at a 2021 qualifying site.
About the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada
The Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada is a series of tournaments played across Canada and the United States each summer, where tomorrow’s stars begin the path to the PGA TOUR. The leading 10 point-earners at the end of each season earn status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the following year. The Tour’s alumni include 41 PGA TOUR players and 232 Korn Ferry Tour players since 2013. The Mackenzie’s Tour mission is to provide a high-quality platform to produce alumni that move to the next level and eventually the PGA TOUR, while making a positive impact in the communities where tournaments are played.