After months of quarantining and reconfiguring, the LPGA and its official qualifying tour are back. Golf fans can once again follow their favorite athletes in action — but from a distance. That’s because a number of tournaments on the 2020 LPGA Tour and Symetra Tour will be contested without spectators.
LPGA Tour
The LPGA has not announced whether the entirety of the tour will encourage fan attendance, but the following tournaments on the card officially will not:
- Drive On Championship — The LPGA 2020 season resumed on July 31 with the Drive On Championship in Toledo, Ohio. Running until August 2, the Inverness Club tournament played without spectators, pro-ams, or a title sponsor, but it was televised on The Golf Channel. Top-ranked American Danielle Kang pulled out a dramatic win and is now No. 2 in the world according to Rolex Women’s Rankings.
- Marathon LPGA Classic — As the second event on the revised LPGA roster, the Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana is scheduled for August 6-9 at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio. Although spectators will not be allowed to attend any of the four rounds of competition, televised coverage will be available on The Golf Channel.
- Walmart NW Arkansas Championship — The Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G is set to continue August 24-30 without any fans in attendance. However, this three-round event will be broadcast on The Golf Channel for remote viewing. Fans can also stay up to date as each round progress by following updates on social media.
The Symetra Tour
The Symetra Tour — Road to the LPGA — officially resumed with the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek, Michigan. While spectators were not permitted to attend this three-day competition, it’s unclear whether they will be prohibited for the rest of the events on the official qualifying tour of the LPGA — including the Founders Tribute and Insurance Office of America (IOA) Championship.
“We are so grateful the tour was able to make a return,” said IOA co-founder John Ritenour. “Everyone working on and with the Symetra Tour is ready to do what it takes to keep players safe during the rest of the competition.”
A Nearly Spectator-Less Season
Organizers of both the LPGA tour and its official qualifying tour continue to monitor national COVID-19 updates while following state mandates local to each of the approaching events in the 2020 competitive season. Updates on whether fans will be able to attend additional competitive events are to be announced.