The Open - Cancelled

[MattyO1984]

This is probably going to end up locked quicker than a Usain Bolt sprint but it’s topical with the R&A cancelling the open for 2020 in it’s entirety.

[MattyO1984]

On it, I can see why the R&A have come to the decision that they have but to mind, I genuinely wonder what consideration was given to restricting the field. They still have a good number of players who have not yet qualified. Why not get rid of the Qualifying Series and Final Qualifying and get the field size down from 156 to something more similar to The Masters. Do that and then you could get them out on a two tee start even in September or October. My thinking is that a restricted Open is an awful lot better than no Open at all.

[Old Tom Morris]

Tough to hear. Have a feeling the others won’t be played either despite recent talk about rescheduling. Start over next year.

[raynorfan1]

A restricted Open is not an Open.

[b.helts]

Perhaps in their minds a sullied or watered down Open is worse than no open at all.

 

[MattyO1984]

Why not? A field of 90 players is enough for The Masters and that doesn’t make it anything less of a spectacle.

[QuigleyDU]

Sad,

 

It will be very very interesting to see historically what impact this shutdown has. Speaking specifically to player careers. Who will now never win a major, or will win due to extended time off.

[cdnglf]

 

With a field like the Masters, it is no longer an Open. I can understand why the R&A would be against that.

Especially since they're insured.

 

And how much would decreasing the field size help, anyway? Many of the logistical issues would still be the same.

 

 

 

[MattyO1984]

Reducing the field size would deal with the biggest logistical issue - getting the players round in the hours of daylight. After that, everything else comes second. I am not trying to be flippant. It would appear that there are ways and means of them doing it but I suspect that the insurance money is what it all comes down to.

[jubilee_links]

A limited field event would require an asterisk beside the winner - its against the spirit of an open championship.

In reality with lockdown they appropriate preparation and qualification cant take place. If people can only start getting back to work in June/July then they could get it prepped as you say for September/October, however we could be entering new stages of lockdown around that time if there is any hint of covid returning (even if we lower the incidence by then).

 

Also commercially - many sponsors and contractors will be reconsidering their positions/be out of business by summer - so actually staging the event would be a challenge.

[QuigleyDU]

Along with this. It looks like the Masters will be played in NOV.

[nitram]

Hope I'm wrong but I doubt it.

[MattyO1984]

I’m not seeing any asterisks next to Willie Park Jnr. He won the Open in a field of 8 players. The same for Old Tom who won it the year after in a field of 18. Circumstances change every now and then, why as a one of could they not change here.

[MattyO1984]

Masters week is due to be 9th to 15th November.

[QuigleyDU]

Of course a lot can happen between now and then, but for right now your wrong...

 

- News - The Augusta Chronicle - Augusta, GA

[raynorfan1]

The point of an Open is that you play against all comers. That's why it's a Championship.

Otherwise it's the R&A Invitational.

[imakaveli]

Wise decision. Still can't understand why they removed the woodden wall at the big bunker on the 4th....

[TheMoneyShot]

Kind of stinks they rescheduled the other majors and not this one.

[cdnglf]

 

That is certainly an issue, but one of many, and by itself not unsolvable (e.g. use a Rota site with multiple courses)

 

I think the R&A made a rational choice. If they hadn't cancelled, the best-case scenario was a compromised non-Open Open. Worst case was eventual cancellation and (allegedly) no insurance money.

Also, probably best to put in the claim now and get to the front of the insurance payout line.

[QuigleyDU]

schedule for the year being put in its place. VEry very interesting..

Golf world presents revised calendar of events for 2020

 

[Bad9]

I don't expect the other majors to proceed when its all said and done. How late in the year could they have gone to have a chance of decent weather and enough daylight hours? Anything past September wasn't likely doable anyway.

[Showtime9]

The first domino to fall of many to come IMO. This stinks. Unfortunately, I think the USGA is not far behind in cancelling the U.S Open.

[TheMoneyShot]

Masters in November. It’s definitely going to be interesting/different.

[QuigleyDU]

look at the post just before yours... They are working out the schedule to have all the majors except for the open I guess in the fall. 3 out of 4 aint bad.

[Bad9]

I just started a thread-postponed to September 14-20 but I think it ends up cancelled.

[DFS PFD]

Edited: Good decision

[Dave230]

A good decision, given the particular difficulties of hosting the Open, you can't go any later than September and keep the same field/format. Won't have enough sunlight and weather won't be good enough.

Given that US has the most virus cases in the world by 3 times though, not sure of the logic of having all 3 majors in the country with the worst outbreak.

[MidwestGolfBum]

I'm not sure when they would be able to reschedule this one, though. Between other things getting scheduled, trying to pick a week that they know travel bans won't be there as well as having weather that would produce good enough conditions that they would be happy with it.

[DFS PFD]

Given they are US PGA Tour events it kinda does make sense...

[dalehead]

They have to have a plan in place on the chance that things start improving in the next few weeks. If they don’t the plan will change.