The 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits has been postponed until 2021.
The PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe jointly announced that the matches due to take place in Wisconsin in September will be delayed by a year due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic.
The 43rd Ryder Cup, scheduled for the week of September 22-27, will now take place from September 21-26, 2021.
As a result, the 2021 Presidents Cup, which was due to be staged at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina next October, has been pushed back to September 23-25, 2022.
The decision to move the Ryder Cup back a year means that all subsequent Ryder Cups will also shift to odd years, with Italy’s Marco Simone Golf and Country Club hosting the matches in 2023; Bethpage Black in New York in 2025, Adare Manor in Ireland in 2027, and Hazeltine National in Minnesota in 2029. Europe has yet to decide on its host venues for the matches in 2031 and 2035, but The Olympic Club in San Francisco will host in 2033 and the Congressional Country Club in Maryland in 2037.
In a corresponding decision, the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe also announced that the Junior Ryder Cup will be rescheduled for September 21-22, 2021 at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. It was originally scheduled for September 20-21, 2020.
The decision to reschedule the Ryder Cup was made based on guidance from the USA’s Center 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 PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh. “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.”
US Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker said: “While it is disappointing that the Ryder Cup won’t be played this year, the decision to reschedule is the right thing to do under the circumstances. At the end of the day, we want to stage a Ryder Cup that will rival all other Ryder Cups in my home state of Wisconsin, and now we have the opportunity to showcase the event as it was meant to be seen.”
Pádraig Harrington, European team captain, added: “Rescheduling the Ryder Cup was never going to be an easy decision given the many factors to take into consideration. But I believe it is the right assessment given the unprecedented circumstances we are facing at this time. When you think of the Ryder Cup you think of the distinctive atmosphere generated by the spectators, such as around the first tee at Le Golf National two years ago. If that cannot be responsibly recreated at Whistling Straits in September, then it is correct that we all wait until it can be. I know, right now, that September 2021 feels like a long time away. But it will come around quickly and I guarantee that the European players and I will be ready when it does.”
Tickets purchased for the 2020 Ryder Cup via rydercup.com will be automatically valid for the corresponding days in 2021. Those who have purchased tickets and hospitality packages on the secondary market must contact that specific site directly.
The qualification process for the Europe team has been frozen until the beginning of the new year, with all points earned to date on both the European and World Points lists, which started at the 2019 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and which were paused after the 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in March this year, will continue to count.
In addition, one or more points multipliers may be introduced during the course of the 2021 European Tour season to ensure that strong performance closer to the match in September 2021 is given added importance. These will be agreed once the 2021 European Tour schedule has been announced and communicated to the membership prior to January 1.
The first four qualifiers for Team Europe will come from the European Points list, the next five from the World Points list and Captain Pádraig Harrington will have three wildcard picks.
The US team has yet to announce any changes to its qualification criteria.