Rumours of PGA Championship switch to Sawgrass dismissed as 'inaccurate'
No plans to move second major of the year to Florida, while PGA Tour also confident WGC Match Play will go ahead in Austin, Texas
By Keith Jackson at TPC Sawgrass
Last Updated: 11/03/20 6:14pm
Organisers of the PGA Championship in May have dismissed rumours that the second major of the year could switch venues due to the ongoing coronavirus concerns.
The PGA of America have insisted that the tournament will go ahead as scheduled at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, and their statement was endorsed by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan at his press conference ahead of this week's Players Championship.
Reports in American media suggested that TPC Sawgrass is a possible venue for the PGA Championship following the cancellation of a number of sporting and social events in California, including the Indian Wells Masters - the biggest tennis tournament outside of the four Grand Slams.
A PGA of America statement read: "Reports that the 2020 PGA Championship will be relocated from TPC Harding Park are inaccurate. At this time, no such discussions have taken place.
"We continue to carefully monitor this rapidly evolving situation, in close coordination and communication with representatives from San Francisco. We will follow the guidance of state and city officials and public health authorities, keeping the safety and well-being of all involved as our highest priority."
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Monahan was pressed on the subject and also addressed the possibility of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin later this month being postponed, a likelihood that increased when the famous South by Southwest music festival was called off due to coronavirus fears.
"They are fully planning on proceeding with the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco," said Monahan, who hinted that the PGA Tour would step in with an alternative venue if required.
"When you get in these extraordinary circumstances, you have to make yourself available to your partners, and you have to really work as closely together as you ever have to help each other get through this.
"There is no plan at this point in time for the PGA Championship to be held here at TPC Sawgrass. It's going to be held at TPC Harding Park. But I would just pledge to you, as we've pledged to everybody else, that in all of our tournaments week to week that we've got to listen and respond to the real information that we're receiving on the ground.
"It's important for us to present a complete schedule, FedExCup schedule this year. And if we can do that, that's what we're going to do as good partners to the game."
And on the Match Play, which is scheduled to take place in a fortnight, Monahan added: "Right now, that's one of the tournaments that's on the focus list, given its proximity to where we sit right here. We are fully planning on being in Austin, Texas, for the WGC Dell Match Play.
"We are working very closely with, on the ground, Jordan Uplegger, who is our executive director, meeting with the mayor, the mayor's staff, local public health officials, tied into our coronavirus task force. We feel like we have support to continue to move forward with the event, full support.
"But this thing is so dynamic that you just have to go hour-to-hour, day-to-day, but right now we have every assurance that we'll be in Austin for the event. If your local public health officials feel confident that everybody can enter into a safe environment and that we're protecting the well-being of all folks on-site, then we're going to move forward."