K eep your fingers crossed, avoid walking under ladders and, hope- fully, all of your good luck charms are in working order. Oh, and mask up. Then, just then, we might see some normalcy return to the 2021 Golftime tournament calendar.
Last year COVID-19 ravaged the world with its impact trickling down to everything in our daily lives, including our ability to watch and enjoy tournament golf.
Only a handful of professional golf events were conducted in the Golftime region in 2020 as the pandemic’s reach continued to grow.
Nationally, the PGA Tour canceled or
of America, Ryder Cup Europe and PGA Tour jointly decided to push back the event one year.
It will still be held at Whistling Straits on the rescheduled dates of Sept. 21-26. And Wisconsin’s Steve Stricker is still in charge of the U.S. team, his captaincy having been extended one year.
“At the end of the day, we want a Ryder Cup that will rival all other Ryder Cups in my home state of Wisconsin, and now we have the opportunity to showcase the event as it is meant to be seen,” Stricker said.
The hope is that vaccines will neutralize the virus enough so that the event can be staged with full corporate support and Wisconsin native Jerry Kelly defends not one, but two titles in the Midwest this summer postponed two months’ worth of tournaments and when play resumed in June, there were no pro-ams or spectators. The new normal included a U.S. Open in September and a Masters in November.
Perhaps the biggest event on the golf calendar last year also fell victim to the pandemic.
The 43rd Ryder Cup, scheduled to be held in September at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wisconsin, was postponed one year.
Left with no viable options to stage the Ryder Cup as scheduled in September 2020 because of the pandemic, the PGA helps create the atmosphere that makes the Ryder Cup unique in all of golf.
“That’s what makes the Ryder Cup so special,” said Seth Waugh, CEO of the PGA of America. “It’s the passion that it arouses, the tribalism, the nationalism.”
Tickets purchased for the 2020 Ryder Cup via rydercup.com will be automatically valid for the corresponding day(s) in 2021. Tickets will be mailed out approximately six weeks prior to the event’s new dates.
Following is the 2021 schedule (fingers crossed) for the Golftime region:
May 24-30, Glenview, Illinois
Korn Ferry Tour
EVANS SCHOLARS INVITATIONAL
COURSE: The Glen Club
DEFENDING CHAMP: Curtis Thompson
TV: Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: Curtis Thompson won by one stroke after the tournament was moved from May to September due to the pandemic.
June 3-6, Dublin, Ohio
PGA Tour
THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT
June 11-13, Harris, Michigan
Symetra Tour
ISLAND RESORT CHAMPIONSHIP
COURSE: Sweetgrass Golf Club
2020 RESULTS: Canceled
DEFENDING 2019 CHAMP: Daniella Iacobelli
THE SKINNY: Daniella Iacobelli won the tournament by shooting an 11-under 205.
June 17-20, Grand Rapids, Michigan
LPGA Tour
MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC FOR SIMPLY GIVE
COURSE: Blythefield Country Club
2020 RESULTS: Canceled
DEFENDING 2019 CHAMP: Brooke Henderson TV: Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: The LPGA boosted the purse
for the tournament in 2019, raising total winnings to $2.3 million.
June 24-27, Akron, Ohio
PGA Tour Champions
BRIDGESTONE SENIOR PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
COURSE: Firestone Country Club
2020 RESULTS: Canceled
DEFENDING 2019 CHAMP: Vijay Singh
TV: Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: The Bridgestone Senior Players is one of five major championships on the PGA Tour Champions.
July 1-4, Detroit Michigan
PGA Tour
ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC
COURSE: Detroit Golf Club
DEFENDING CHAMP: Bryson DeChambeau
TV: CBS/Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: This year will mark the third year of Detroit’s only PGA event.
COURSE: Muirfield Village Golf Club
DEFENDING CHAMP: Jon Rahm
TV: CBS/Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: Jon Rahm posted a three-stroke victory.
June 4-6, Des Moines, Iowa
PGA Tour Champions
PRINCIPAL CHARITY CLASSIC
COURSE: Wakonda Club
2020 RESULTS: Canceled
DEFENDING 2019 CHAMP: Kevin Sutherland
TV: Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: Despite cancellation, the tournament continued to support long-standing charities.
June 11-13, Madison, Wisconsin
PGA Tour Champions
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP
COURSE: University Ridge Golf Course
2020 RESULTS: Canceled
DEFENDING 2019 CHAMP: Jerry Kelly
TV: Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: Madison native Jerry Kelly will defend his title after the tournament took a year hiatus due to COVID-19.
July 8-10, French Lick, Indiana
Symetra Tour
DONALD ROSS CLASSIC AT FRENCH LICK RESORT
COURSE: The Donald Ross Course
2020 RESULTS: Canceled
DEFENDING 2019 CHAMP: Patty Tavatanakit
THE SKINNY: 2021 will mark the tournament’s fourth year of play.
July 8-11, Sylvania, Ohio
LPGA Tour
MARATHON CLASSIC
COURSE: Highland Meadows Golf Club
DEFNDING CHAMP: Danielle Kang
TV: Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: Kang rallied from five strokes down with six holes to play.
July 8-11, Silvis, Illinois
PGA Tour
JOHN DEERE CLASSIC
COURSE: TPC Deere Run
2020 RESULTS: Canceled
DEFENDING 2019 CHAMP: Dylan Frittelli
TV: CBS/Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: His win in 2019 was the first PGA Tour victory for South African Dylan Frittelli.
July 14-17, Midland, Michigan
LPGA Tour
DOW GREAT LAKES BAY INVITATIONAL
COURSE: Midland Country Club
TV: Golf Channel
2020 RESULTS: Canceled
DEFENDING 2019 CHAMPS: Jasmine Suwannapura and Cydney Clanton
THE SKINNY: Jasmine Suwannapura and Cydney Clanton ran away with the LPGA Tour’s first official team event.
July 15-18, Springfield, Illinois
Korn Ferry Tour
LINCOLN LAND CHARITY CHAMPIONSHIP
COURSE: Panther Creek Country Club
DEFENDING CHAMP: Brett Drewitt
THE SKINNY: Brett Drewitt, an Australian, posted a one-stroke victory.
July 22-25, Blaine, Minnesota
PGA Tour
3M OPEN
COURSE: TPC Twin Cities
DEFENDING CHAMP: Michael Thompson
TV: CBS/Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: Michael Thompson birdied two of the last three holes to post a two-stroke victory.
Aug. 6-8, Battle Creek, Michigan
Symetra Tour
FIREKEEPERS CASINO HOTEL CHAMPIONSHIP
COURSE: Battle Creek Country Club
DEFENDING CHAMP: Ruixin Liu
THE SKINNY: China’s Ruixin Liu posted a two- stroke victory.
Aug. 13-15, South Bend, Indiana
Symetra Tour
FOUR WINDS INVITATIONAL
COURSE: South Bend Country Club
DEFENDING CHAMP: Kim Kaufman
THE SKINNY: The 10th annual invitational moves to South Bend Country Club this year.
Aug. 27-29, Grand Blanc, Michigan
PGA Tour Champions
THE ALLY CHALLENGE
COURSE: Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club
DEFENDING CHAMP: Jim Furyk
TV: Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: Jim Furyk became the first player since Miquel Angel Jimenez to win his first start on the Champions tour.
Sept. 2-5, Newburgh, Indiana
Korn Ferry Tour
UNITED LEASING & FINANCE CHAMPIONSHIP
COURSE: Victoria National Golf Club
DEFENDING CHAMP: Brandon Wu
TV: Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: Brandon Wu’s one-shot victory was his first on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Sept. 11-13, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
PGA Tour Champions
SANFORD INTERNATIONAL
COURSE: Minnehaha Country Club
DEFENDING CHAMP: Miguel Angel Jimenez
TV: Golf Channel
THE SKINNY: Miguel Angel Jimenez used an eagle on a par 5 on the back nine during the final round to post a one-shot victory.
Sept. 24-26, Haven, Wisconsin
PGA
43RD RYDER CUP
COURSE: Whistling Straits
DEFENDING CHAMP: Europe
TV: NBC
THE SKINNY: The 43rd Ryder Cup will try once again after being postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic.