British Open canceled until '21 as golf schedule reworked

Open champion Shane Lowry celebrates.
Open champion Shane Lowry of Ireland celebrates with the Claret Jug on the 18th green at the 148th Open Championship July 21, 2019, in Portrush, United Kingdom. The British Open will not be played this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Andrew Redington | Getty Images

The British Open will not be played this year for the first time since 1945, with the R&A choosing to play golf's oldest championship next year at Royal St. George's and move the 150th Open at St. Andrews to 2022.

It was a major piece of golf trying to reconfigure a schedule brought on by the spread of the new coronavirus.

Golf organizations were expected to announced later Monday the PGA Championship moving to August, the U.S. Open going to September and the Masters to be played in November, two weeks before Thanksgiving.

All that depends on guidance from government and health authorities.

R&A chief Martin Slumbers said the decision to cancel the British Open was based on guidance from the U.K. government, health authorities and public services.

He said all tickets and other hospitality packages will be shifted to 2021 or fully refunded.

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