What do PGA Tour and Masters changes mean for my fantasy league and my bets?

If you’re among the many golf fans who play fantasy golf, or have placed a bet for the 2020 season at your local sports book, we’ve got bad news and good news.

You’ve probably already heard the bad news: You won’t be cashing out any time soon. Golf, along with nearly every professional sport, is canceled for at least the next month. The Masters is postponed.

But actually, that’s also the good news. In nearly all cases, you’re going to get your money back. Picks to win for any of the canceled or postponed events? Refunded. What about futures? It depends on your bet, but if it involves any of the canceled events, you’re going to get your money back. In fact, updated odds have already been released for the Masters, with the preconception of the event being completed in 2020.

2020 Masters (completed in 2020)

R McIlroy 10/1
J Rahm 12/1
B Koepka 14/1
J Thomas 14/1
D Johnson 16/1
T Woods 16/1
P Cantlay 25/1
X Schauffele 25/1
R Fowler 25/1
T Fleetwood 30/1
B DeChambeau 30/1
P Reed 30/1
H Matsuyama 30/1
S Im 30/1
J Rose 30/1
A Scott 30/1
T Finau 30/1

— Jeff Sherman (@golfodds) March 14, 2020

If you’re a fantasy player, you’re probably wondering the opposite: do my picks at the Players have any impact on my league, given that most of the first round was played before the tournament was canceled? And what happens to my league in the meantime? After all, the Players Championship purse for 2020 was supposed to be its highest-ever, with the winner taking home an unheralded $2.7 million.

Here’s your answer, according to a statement released by the PGA Tour:

“PGA Tour Fantasy Golf will resume as soon as the PGA Tour season continues. Points scored in Round 1 of the Players Championship will not count. Starts also will not be counted against golfers who started Round 1. Since the Players was the opener of Segment 3, total starts for your starting golfers in Round 1 of the Players will be reset to three each. Thank you for your patience!”

So there you have it. No harm, no foul. Except that now, you’re stuck without golf for the next month of your life. There’s good news for that too — you can still get out on the course and play safely, just use precaution before, during and after doing so.

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