The 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits has been postponed until 2021.
After weeks of speculation, all of which pointed to a 12-month delay, the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe finally announced that the matches due to take place in Wisconsin in September will be delayed by a year due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic.
The 43rd Ryder Cup, scheduled for the week of September 22-27, will now take place from September 21-26, 2021.
Tickets purchased via rydercup.com will be automatically valid for the corresponding days in 2021, while those who have bought tickets and hospitality packages on the secondary market must contact that specific company directly.
The decision to move the Ryder Cup back a year means that all subsequent matches will also shift to odd years, with Italy’s Marco Simone Golf and Country Club hosting the matches in 2023; Bethpage Black in New York in 2025, Adare Manor in Ireland in 2027, and Hazeltine National in Minnesota in 2029. Europe has yet to decide on its host venues for the matches in 2031 and 2035, but The Olympic Club in San Francisco will host in 2033 and the Congressional Country Club in Maryland in 2037.
As a result of the postponement, the 2021 Presidents Cup, which was due to be held at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina next October, has been pushed back to September 23-25, 2022. Trevor Immelman has been announced as the International team captain.
In a corresponding decision, the Junior Ryder Cup will be rescheduled for September 21-22, 2021 at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
Pádraig Harrington, Europe’s team captain, said: “Rescheduling the Ryder Cup was never going to be an easy decision given the many factors to take into consideration. But I believe it is the right assessment given the unprecedented circumstances we are facing at this time. When you think of the Ryder Cup you think of the distinctive atmosphere generated by the spectators, such as around the first tee at Le Golf National two years ago. If that cannot be responsibly recreated at Whistling Straits in September, then it is correct that we all wait until it can be. I know, right now, that September 2021 feels like a long time away. But it will come around quickly and I guarantee that the European players and I will be ready when it does.”
The qualification process for the Europe team has been frozen until the beginning of the new year, with all points earned to date on both the European and World Points lists, which started at the 2019 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, and which were paused after the 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in March this year, will continue to count. The first four qualifiers for Europe will come from the European Points list, the next five from the World Points list, and Harrington will have three wildcard picks. The qualification criteria for the US has yet to be announced.