Officials at Augusta National have postponed next month’s Masters Tournament but have not ruled out the possibility of staging it later this year.
The tournament becomes the latest to fall foul of the coronavirus pandemic which has so far curtailed five events on the European Tour and a slew of upcoming tournaments on the PGA Tour.
Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley said: “Considering the latest information and expert analysis, we have decided at this time to postpone the Masters Tournament, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals.
“Ultimately, the health and well-being of everyone associated with these events and the citizens of the Augusta community led us to this decision. We hope this postponement puts us in the best position to safely host the Masters Tournament and our amateur events at some later date.
“We will continue to work with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Office of the Governor, the Georgia Department of Public Health, the City of Augusta and all other local authorities. We are grateful to all of these entities for their exceptional efforts and guidance.”
