The United States Golf Association (USGA) has announced that there will be no on-site spectators when the U.S. Open Championship takes place at the Winged foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck Sept. 14-20. The reason given was ongoing health and safety concerns due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Photograph courtesy United States Golf Association
“Following months of consultation and scenario planning with local and state health officials, we have jointly decided that hosting the U.S. Open without spectators will provide the best opportunity to conduct the championship safely for all involved,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA. “We will miss the excitement of the fans and what their presence brings to the championship. We look forward to welcoming them again to future U.S. Opens.”
The USGA announced on April 6 that the 120th U.S. Open, which was scheduled to be held June 18-21 on Winged Foot”™s West Course, had been postponed.
“This will not be a typical U.S. Open in several respects,” said John Bodenhamer, the USGA”™s senior managing director of championships. “Would it have been easier to simply cancel or even move the 2020 championship rather than play it in what has been the epicenter of the virus in our country? Possibly. But all of us at the USGA know how much the U.S. Open matters, and we weren”™t willing to give up on playing it at Winged Foot Golf Club so easily.”
Tickets purchased directly through the USGA will be automatically refunded to the method of payment used to purchase the tickets.
NBC will be televising the event on its network and the NBC/Golf channel and the USGA is offering an app for streaming.
