Wisconsin, United States: Instead of lining up at Augusta National for the 2020 Masters Tournament, which was scheduled to take place this week, the world’s best golfers are hunkering down.

Like golfers all over the world, the game’s elite players are staying at home in a bid to combat the Covid-19 outbreak – and counting down the days until it is deemed safe to return to the fairways.

Among the events that players and fans are looking forward to is the Ryder Cup, which it is hoped will go ahead from September 25-27 at Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin.

With less than six months to go before the biennial match play showdown, American Captain Steve Stricker and his European counterpart Padraig Harrington have penned the following joint message:

‘Every two years Europe and the United States of America come together. We are united by the shared values of sportsmanship and our desire to defeat a formidable opponent. In doing so, we witness some incredible displays of determination, passion and spirit.

When Europe takes on the United States in the Ryder Cup it is always fiercely contested … but it is just golf. It is not a matter of life and death. Fighting Coronavirus is.

Today, Europe and the United States are united like never before. We have a formidable opponent, but it is not each other. It is like nothing we have ever faced before.

Defeating Coronavirus won’t happen in three days. It won’t happen because of the efforts of only 12 men. It needs all of us to play our part. So, while Europe and the America once again come together, we also stand as one with all of our friends around the world during this unprecedented global crisis. 

As Ryder Cup Captains, we proudly represent all the players, caddies, staff and partners of the European Tour and PGA of America and we speak on behalf of every single one of them when we say that our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected.

We also speak for them when we say that we are all moved by the incredible determination, passion and spirit we are witnessing from our health professionals, key workers and everyone else on the front line in this battle. We are all indebted to the incredible work they are all doing.

Last week, some of the world’s leading golfers featured in a social media video thanking our heroes. We want to take this opportunity to reiterate our sincere gratitude to all of you once more.

Today is #WorldHealthDay. It should also be a day when we are all at Augusta National for the first Major of the 2020 season, but golf is insignificant right now.

Instead of celebrating someone in a Green Jacket, this week we rightly celebrate those selfless people around the world wearing scrubs, wearing white coats, wearing supermarket uniforms, together with everyone else working round the clock to protect us and keep the world functioning. You are our true heroes.

For them, we urge everyone to please stay safe, stay healthy and stay home. And stay united.’