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Leagues and Governing Bodies

LPGA Seeing Success In Pandemic Restart Ahead Of First Major In U.S.

Defending ANA Inspiration champion Jin Young Ko is not in the field because of travel restrictionsGETTY IMAGES

The ANA Inspiration starting tomorrow is the sixth tournament for the LPGA since the restart, as the women's tour has "survived the restart with just nine positive results out of more than 3,300 tests," according to Larry Bohannan of the Palm Springs DESERT SUN. LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said, "I thought this was going to be harder than it's been through six weeks." But he added, "That doesn't mean the hard part hasn't hit yet." Bohannan notes the LPGA has faced "more than just issues with players being healthy at tournaments." Getting players to tournaments "has been another issue, highlighted by defending ANA Inspiration champion Jin Young Ko not being in the field this week because of travel restrictions from South Korea." Global travel restrictions have "limited where and when the LPGA can hold tournaments throughout the year." With no guarantee the coronavirus or travel restrictions will disappear soon, Whan said that the LPGA is "reshaping its 2021 schedule, trying to limit the number of border crossings for players and likely shifting a spring swing through Asia into the fall." Whan and his team are "trying to be positive about the rest of 2020 and the new schedule for 2021." Whan: "I'm really proud to say that all of our title sponsors that were scheduled for '21 are still with us in '21" (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 9/9).

SUCCESSFUL EFFORT: ESPN.com's Bob Harig noted the PGA Tour concluded its '19-20 season on Monday at the Tour Championship and "never suffered a coronavirus calamity through three months of tournaments following the pandemic shutdown." There were a few "rough patches," but while other sports competing outside of a coronavirus pandemic bubble had "myriad challenges, golf and the PGA Tour managed to make it to this point with no interruptions, while pushing ahead into a new season this week at the Safeway Open." Player Webb Simpson said, "It's a huge deal that honestly that hasn't been made a big-enough deal. I think you see the other leagues, and they're having all sorts of issues with the coronavirus. It seems like so many decisions have been in limbo" (ESPN.com, 9/8).

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