'PGA Tour Suspension'... "Heritage on the 16th of Next Month?"

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Currently preparing."

The organizing committee of the PGA Tour RBC Heritage (total prize money $7.1 million) announced on the 15th (Korean time) that "Together with the PGA Tour and the Heritage Classic Foundation, we are prioritizing the safety and health of all stakeholders and monitoring the situation." They added, "Based on information about COVID-19 from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and local governments, we are communicating with the PGA Tour and preparing for any contingencies. We will notify immediately if there are any changes."

This tournament is currently the earliest scheduled event on the PGA Tour calendar. It is set to open on the 16th of next month at Harbour Town Golf Links (par 71) in Hilton Head, South Carolina, USA. The PGA Tour abruptly suspended play after the first round of The Players Championship, known as the "fifth major," on the 13th, and subsequently canceled the Valspar Championship on the 19th, the World Golf Championships (WGC) Series Dell Technologies Match Play on the 25th, and the Texas Open on the 2nd of next month. The Masters, scheduled for the 9th of next month, has also been postponed indefinitely.

It is interesting that Pan Cheng-chung (Taiwan) is the defending champion. He gained even more spotlight by staging a comeback victory against then world number one Dustin Johnson (USA). This remarkable achievement was accompanied by the fact that he was the first Taiwanese player to win on the PGA Tour in 32 years since Chen Tze-chung's victory at the 1987 LA Open. However, Pan Cheng-chung was the most sensitive to COVID-19, having withdrawn early by stating before the first round of The Players, "I am withdrawing to protect myself and my family."

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