Having released a statement last week indicating that they were still going through their options, the R&A has confirmed today that the 149th Open Championship, set to be held at Royal St George's from 16th July, has been cancelled based on guidance from the UK Government, the health authorities, public services and The R&A’s advisers.
The tournament will next take place in July 2021, again at Royal St George's, and each of the following Open Championships will move forward by one year. This then means that the Sandwich-based club still gets the chance to host, whilst also ensuring that St Andrews remains the venue for the 150th Championship, now set for 2022.
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of the R&A, commented:
Our absolute priority is to protect the health and safety of the fans, players, officials, volunteers and staff involved in The Open. We care deeply about this historic Championship and have made this decision with a heavy heart. We appreciate that this will be disappointing for a great many people around the world but we have to act responsibly during this pandemic and it is the right thing to do.
"I can assure everyone that we have explored every option for playing The Open this year but it is not going to be possible."
"There are many different considerations that go into organising a major sporting event of this scale. We rely on the support of the emergency services, local authorities and a range of other organisations to stage the Championship and it would be unreasonable to place any additional demands on them when they have far more urgent priorities to deal with."
"In recent weeks we have been working closely with those organisations as well as Royal St George’s, St Andrews Links Trust and the other golf bodies to resolve the remaining external factors and have done so as soon as we possibly could. We are grateful to all of them for their assistance and co-operation throughout this process."
"Most of all I would like to thank our fans around the world and all of our partners for their support and understanding. At a difficult time like this we have to recognise that sport must stand aside to let people focus on keeping themselves and their families healthy and safe. We are committed to supporting our community in the weeks and months ahead and will do everything in our power to help golf come through this crisis."
The R&A will transfer over 2020 purchased tickets and hospitality packages to The Open in 2021. Purchasers who no longer wish to (or are no longer able to) attend in 2021 will receive a full refund. Further information on this process will be sent directly to ticket and hospitality purchasers in due course.
This marks the first time that The Open, or any major for that matter, has been cancelled since the Second World War in 1945, and represents a more marked response than the USGA, PGA of America and Augusta, who have postponed their major events and are still looking into the possibility of hosting them later this summer.
It also comes after the All England Club took the decision to cancel this year's Wimbledon Championship, scheduled for the end of June, last as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic already start to stretch into the mid-summer, even if the government-enforced lockdown may well have been lifted by then.
Whilst we are still yet to hear any further news on the fate of the three major men's championships, the Ryder Cup, or the Women's British Open, it would appear unlikely that all of these events are able to be completed in such a trunkated season once professional sport is allowed to continue, in whatever capacity that may be.
Watch this space over the next few weeks for more announcements, stay safe, and here's hoping there will be some championship golf to talk about in the not-so-distant future!
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