USPGA Championship to go ahead without fans

Event will be first Major of the year after being rescheduled from May to August

Brooks Koepka will defend his USPGA title at Harding Park. Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
Brooks Koepka will defend his USPGA title at Harding Park. Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

The USPGA Championship will be held in August without spectators, the tour said on Monday, citing health and safety concerns due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

One of golf’s four majors, the event was previously postponed from its originally scheduled May date at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco because of the scale of the outbreak.

“While the local community cannot be with us physically on-site, we will certainly carry their spirit of resilience and unity with us as we stage our major championship,” said PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh.

Ticket-holders who purchased directly from PGA of America will be contacted in the coming days regarding refunds for the event, which is expected to run from August 3rd to 9th, with two-time champion Brooks Koepka seeking a third consecutive win.