It appears that the postponement of the 2020 Ryder Cup to 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic will not cause a ripple effect on the Solheim Cup at Inverness Club, which is currently scheduled for Labor Day weekend in 2021.
At least LPGA Tour commissioner Mike Whan doesn’t think it will.
“2021 is shaping up to be an incredible year for golf,” he told The Blade Wednesday. “The LPGA looks forward to staging the Solheim Cup over Labor Day weekend at Inverness Club in Ohio, and the Ryder Cup just a few weeks later at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin will cap an amazing month for golf fans in the Midwest. We are excited for this doubleheader opportunity to celebrate all the great golfers, male and female, who play for the USA and Europe.”
Whan and LPGA officials have been adamant in recent months about the Solheim Cup keeping its 2021 date, believing that the event stands on its own merit and does not need to alter its schedule to avoid being played in the same year as the Ryder Cup.
“Nothing drowns out a Solheim Cup,” Whan said in April. “We wouldn’t change our Solheim Cup if the Ryder Cup changed theirs.”
When the 2001 Ryder Cup was delayed one year because of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the LPGA moved the Solheim Cup to odd-numbered years, opposite the Ryder Cup. But nearly two decades later, the situation is different because the Solheim Cup has evolved into the biggest event in women’s golf.
In 2021, an estimated 125,000 fans, including 5,000 Europeans, are expected to attend the Solheim Cup. The economic impact is projected to be $30 million.
“Together with the LPGA, we are moving forward with plans for the Solheim Cup [in 2021],” Ladies European Tour CEO Alexandra Armas said in a statement. “This year, we have all faced challenges we need to adjust to, and as part of the changing landscape of global sports events, we will be assessing the long-term impact of these changes on future Solheim Cup dates.”
The 2020 Ryder Cup was scheduled for late September at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. Several players voiced their displeasure about having the event if crowds were going to be limited and eliminated altogether. The Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, pitting Americans against Europeans, produce a football-like environment, with passionate fans and boisterous galleries.
“It became clear that as of today, our medical experts and the public authorities in Wisconsin could not give us certainty that conducting an event responsibly with thousands of spectators in September would be possible,” PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh said. “Given that uncertainty, we knew rescheduling was the right call. The spectators who support both the U.S. and European sides are what make the Ryder Cup such a unique and compelling event and playing without them was not a realistic option.”
The 2021 Ryder Cup will be Sept. 24-26. It’s possible that the LPGA and PGA of America could work together and move the events to back-to-back weeks.
One domino that fell on Thursday was moving the 2021 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow in Charlotte to 2022, which will affect the PGA Tour’s bottom line.
“There are a lot of big events in men’s golf that make us kind of sidestep, whether it’s the Masters or the Players Championship, that has so many hours of TV, we try to not play during some of those weeks,” Whan said. “But the Solheim Cup will be just fine no matter when it’s played or where it’s played. I’ve said many times it's the greatest spectacle showcase in women’s golf, and we’ll be just fine in 2021.”
First Published July 8, 2020, 3:41 p.m.
