Jay Monahan responds to rumors of PGA Championship venue switch

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan took a tricky stance over rumors of a PGA Championship venue switch due to the spread of coronavirus: nothing’s happening, but nothing’s out of the question.  Monahan told reporters on Tuesday at the Players Championship that the PGA of America has not changed its plans to host golf’s second major at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, but neglected to fully close the door on the possibility the event could be moved to TPC Sawgrass or another PGA Tour venue.

“They are fully planning on proceeding with the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco,” he said. “But 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.”

Says there is no plan for changes at this time, but, “we’ve got to listen and respond to the real information we’re receiving and try to present a full FedEx Cup schedule.”

— James Colgan (@jamescolgan26) March 10, 2020

Monahan’s message was vigilant stoicism.  As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the United States and abroad, there are no plans for change, but anything is possible.

“There is no plan at this point in time for the PGA Championship to be held here, it’s going to be held at TPC Harding Park,” Monahan doubled down. “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 — we’ve really got to listen and respond to the real information that we’re receiving on the ground, and it’s important for us to present a complete FedExCup schedule this year.”

The Commissioner’s comments came less than a day after four major U.S. sports leagues (the NBA, NHL, MLB and MLS) announced they would be closing locker rooms to media as a precaution.  The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., (known as tennis’ “fifth major”) was canceled Monday over fears regarding the spread of the virus.

The Players is not expected to implement similar measures. As for whether that will be the case for the PGA, the WGC Match Play in Austin (where the South by Southwest mega-conference was canceled this week), or any other golf event in the near future, only time will tell.

“I think everybody is planning on moving forward full speed ahead, but also keeping an open eye and an open mind to the information that’s coming their way,” Monahan said.

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