Wisconsin, United States: The PGA of America, Ryder Cup Europe and the PGA Tour have announced that both The Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup have been rescheduled and will now be played one year later than originally planned.
The 43rd Ryder Cup, scheduled for the week of September 22-27 at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, has been rescheduled for the week of September 21-26, 2021.
Likewise, the 2021 Presidents Cup, initially scheduled for September 30-October 3, 2021 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, will now be played September 19-25, 2022.
Additionally, as a result of the Presidents Cup date change, the Wells Fargo Championship will be played at its traditional venue at Quail Hollow in 2021 and at TPC Potomac in 2022, during Presidents Cup year.
The decision to reschedule The Ryder Cup was made based on guidance from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and in conjunction with the state of Wisconsin and Sheboygan County, with the health and well-being of all involved as the top priority. “Unlike other major sporting events that are played in existing stadiums, we had to make a decision now about building facilities to host The 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits,” said Seth Waugh, Chief Executive Officer of the PGA of America, an Executive Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.
“It became clear that as of today, our medical experts and the public authorities in Wisconsin could not give us certainty that conducting an event responsibly with thousands of spectators in September would be possible. Given that uncertainty, we knew rescheduling was the right call.
“We are grateful to Commissioner Jay Monahan and our partners at the PGA Tour for their flexibility and generosity in the complex task of shifting the global golf calendar.
“As disappointing as this is, our mandate to do all we can to safeguard public health is what matters most. The spectators who support both the US and European sides are what make The Ryder Cup such a unique and compelling event and playing without them was not a realistic option.
“We stand united with our partners from Ryder Cup Europe, the NBC Sports Group, Sky and our other broadcast partners around the world. We look forward to delivering The Ryder Cup’s renowned pageantry, emotion and competitive drama to a global audience in 2021.”
Guy Kinnings, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director, said: “The Ryder Cup is rightly celebrated as one of the world’s greatest sporting occasions, made special and totally unique in our sport by the fervent atmosphere created by the passionate spectators of both sides.
“While that point is significant, it is not as important as the health of the spectators which, in these difficult times, is always the main consideration. We considered all options including playing with a limited attendance but all our stakeholders agreed this would dilute the magic of this great occasion.
“We therefore stand beside our partners at the PGA of America in the decision to postpone The Ryder Cup for a year and join with them in extending our thanks to the PGA Tour for their willingness to help by moving the date of the Presidents Cup.
“We also thank NBC, Sky and our many broadcast partners around the globe, in addition to the worldwide partners of this great event, whose support and commitment are second to none.”