The closure of Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, has put the status of the 2020 U.S. Open in limbo as organizers are unable to proceed with the build-out of the major championship site.
An executive order by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had resulted in the indefinite closure of the club, which is near the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. The United States Golf Association said it would have an announcement in mid-April concerning the event’s status.
The U.S. Open is scheduled for June 18-21.
“We continue to hold the dates for the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in June and monitor all available guidance and regulations from the CDC, WHO and other federal, state and local authorities to do what is in the best interests of the community for the health and safety of all those involved,” the USGA said in a statement.
“We had previously stopped the build of our corporate hospitality tents and are creating contingency plans should we need to pivot, given that postponement is a possibility. It is premature at this point to speculate on any potential date or location changes, but we expect to make a decision sometime in the middle of April.”
The USGA staffers who were on site are now sheltering in place at various locations in Westchester County, according to the Journal News.
The Masters and PGA Championship have already been postponed, and the PGA Tour has canceled nine events. There is talk of the PGA Championship taking over the date vacated by the postponed Olympic Games in late July, with the Masters potentially moving to October.
The Open at Royal St. George’s in southeast England is still scheduled for July 16-19. A delay of the U.S. Open would require some juggling of tournaments and dates by the PGA Tour if and when the golf schedule resumes.
The last time the U.S. Open was not played was in 1945 due to World War II.