Masters Postponed Due to COVID-19: "When Will It Be Held?"

May Hosting Rumored 'Likely', Schedule Overlap and Qualification Issues Also 'Challenges'

Masters Flag

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] The season's first major, the Masters Tournament, has been postponed due to the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National, which organizes the tournament, said on the 14th (Korean time), "We hope to safely hold the tournament within this year." The Masters, which has traditionally welcomed golf fans in the second week of April every year, was held in March instead of April only twice, in 1934 and 1939. It was not held from 1943 to 1945 due to World War II. With the Masters originally scheduled for April 9 postponed, many challenges must be resolved to hold it again within this year.

American media are mentioning May as a possible time. However, another major, the PGA Championship (May 14?17), is scheduled then. Holding two majors in the same month is not easy for players. Moving the event to summer would expose it to climatic influences. Summers at Augusta National in Georgia, USA, are persistently scorching. The grass species are also vulnerable to heat, making it difficult to maintain normal course conditions.

Moreover, the PGA Tour playoffs take place consecutively in August. Starting September 25, the Ryder Cup, a golf competition between the USA and European teams, awaits. If the tournament is held after the Ryder Cup, the Masters would be held twice in the 2020/2021 season. This would complicate the issue of who would receive invitations to the Masters. Due to COVID-19, the Masters organizing committee's concerns are deepening.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.