Golf In A Plague Year April 2: Disappointment

Golf In A Plague Year April 2: Disappointment

Kitchen Aid Senior Championship Cancelled; Open Championship on hold; Symetra Tour Reschedules; Club Champion Promotions

Kitchen Aid Senior Championship Cancelled

I was disappointed to learn that the PGA of America has cancelled the 2020 Kitchen Aid Senior Championship. It was scheduled for May 19 – 24 at Harbor Shores Resort in Benton Harbor, Michigan. The 2021 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship will be played at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, May 25-30, and return to Harbor Shores Resort in Benton Harbor, Michigan in 2022.

The middle of May is six weeks off, but my supposition is that Michigan’s lockdown prevents them from doing the necessary prep work. Further, it likely would be quite troubling for the PGA of America to get things in place only to find that Governor Whitmer has extended the lockdown through May.

The Kitchen Aid Senior Championship is important to Benton Harbor and surrounding western Michigan communities. Its loss in these trying economic times is too bad.

Open Cancelled?

Golf Digest reported this morning that the Open Championship would be cancelled for 2020.

However, the R&A issued a statement

In light of recent media speculation, we would like to clarify the position regarding The 149th Open.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are continuing to work through our options for The Open this year, including postponement. Due to a range of external factors, that process is taking some time to resolve. We are well aware of the importance of being able to give clear guidance to fans, players and everyone involved and are working to resolve this as soon as we can. We will give a further update as soon as we are in a position to do so and thank everyone for their support and understanding in this challenging situation.”

This disappointment, therefore may be on hold. If all of the Majors are rescheduled for the fall, it could be the most exciting stretch of golf ever. Four majors in close succession, with the Ryder Cup thrown in for good measure.

Symetra Tour Reschedules

The next five events on the Symetra Tour schedule are postponed: the IOA Invitational in Milton, Ga., from May 7-9; the Symetra Classic in Davidson, N.C., from May 13-15; Zimmer Biomet Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez in Opelika, Ala., from May 20-23; The CDPHP Open in Albany, N.Y., from May 29-31; and Four Winds Invitational in South Bend, Ind., from June 12-14.

Meanwhile, two events have been rescheduled. The IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, originally scheduled for March 27-29, will now be played from Aug. 21-23 in Beaumont, Calif., and the Four Winds Invitational will now be played from July 31 through Aug. 2 at Blackthorn Golf Club. Furthermore, the Windsor Golf Classic, originally scheduled for April 2-4 in Windsor, Calif., will remain postponed until 2021.

Club Champion Isolation Promotion

Club Champion is offering a gift card promotion. While you can’t visit the nationwide chain of clubfitters at this moment, you can get a good discount on a fitting when restrictions are lifted. I have been pleased with my own Club Champion experiences.

The promotion offers a $50 bonus card to anyone who purchases $100 – $500 in Club Champion gift cards. Purchases over $500 will be entitled to a bonus card in the amount of 10% of their gift card purchase (i.e. a $1,000 gift card would earn a $100 bonus card). This is a limited-time offer and the bonus card expires June 30, 2021.