- Playing without spectators not an option
- Confirmation of delay is expected next week
Confirmation that the Ryder Cup, due to be held in September at Whistling Straits, will be postponed until 2021 is expected next week. The PGA of America has announced the first major of the year, the US PGA Championship, will be held in early August without spectators. Talks between the PGA of America and the European Tour, who preside jointly over the Ryder Cup, and local government officials in Wisconsin are now close to completion despite a public line of “no change” to existing arrangements. Work on the spectator build at Whistling Straits, ordinarily well under way by now, is not believed to have meaningfully started.
With health and safety concerns to the fore – playing the biennial competition without spectators has never been a serious option – postponement is now seen as the most responsible solution. As recently as last month, hopes had been raised that the Ryder Cup could take place. The relevant parties have considered the US and Europe facing off in front of reduced numbers, with around 25,000 per day mooted, but that isn’t now thought viable amid coronavirus concerns. Ongoing travel restrictions – such as quarantine – are also a factor.
Related: Tommy Fleetwood: ‘Ryder Cup without fans would be kind of sad’
