Keeping the U.S. Open at Winged Foot was seen as one of the more surprising developmentsGETTY IMAGES
Yesterday's announcement that attempted to put golf's "biggest events on somewhat firmer footing has to be looked at as less definitive and more hopeful," but a "hopeful schedule is better than no schedule at all," according to Larry Bohannan of the Palm Springs DESERT SUN. The pro golf circuits, led by the PGA Tour, are "hoping to be among the first sports to return to something close to normalcy." That includes the new schedule that has the PGA Championship in August, the U.S. Open in September and the Masters in November. Bohannan: "Our world is changing on a daily basis, and nothing a month or two months or even six months away is certain. So the schedule might be nothing but hope. But hope isn’t a bad thing right now" (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 4/7). USA TODAY's Christine Brennan writes golf is the one sport that "perhaps can pull off a return sooner than others." The game has been "practicing social distancing even before there was such a thing as social distancing," and golf is in a "strong position to talk about restarting its schedule because some governors are allowing people in their states to play recreationally even now" (USA TODAY, 4/7).
BETTER THAN NOTHING: In Chicago, Barry Rozner writes all of the scheduling is "based on the hope that we can all return to normal in the next month or two, and that feels more like a dream than reality at the moment." However, it is a "reason to be optimistic, especially with the pain of Masters week passing us by" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 4/7). In Pittsburgh, Paul Zeise writes he knows a "lot can happen between now and then, but at least now we have a schedule and something to look forward to." Zeise: "I'll take that and run with it and hope that we have more of these kinds of announcements in the upcoming days and weeks" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/7). In Boston, Tara Sullivan writes, "Is it best-case-scenario thinking? Of course it is. But for now, we'll take it, understanding full well that all of this could change in an instant" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/7).
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE? GOLFCHANNEL.com's Ryan Lavner wrote it is "comforting to see a plan in place" for a PGA Tour restart that includes three of the four majors still being contested, but contrasted with the "current bleak backdrop, golf’s fall vision seems wildly optimistic and aspirational." The Tour still is "expecting to return roughly two months from now," but to do so -- with or without fans -- would "require a massive sea change in this country" (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 4/6).
STAYING IN THE APPLE, FOR NOW: In Philadelphia, Joe Juliano notes the new U.S. Open dates were "perhaps the surprise among the rescheduled majors." Published reports stated that the USGA "was considering moving the event from Winged Foot, with options being Oakmont Country Club near Pittsburgh and two courses in California, Pebble Beach and Torrey Pines" (PHILADLEPHIA INQUIRER, 4/7). GOLFWEEK's Eamon Lynch reported the negotiations over the new calendar were "so fluid that as late as Sunday the USGA was still making contingency plans to contest the U.S. Open in December at Riviera Country Club" in L.A. However, that plan "was abandoned when the R&A confirmed that the 149th Open Championship at Royal St. George's in England would be canceled." That freed up the Sept. 17-20 slot that was "tentatively being held in case the Open was rescheduled" (GOLFWEEK.com, 4/6).
