US PGA moving to July in 2016
There will be just one week between the Open and the US PGA Championship in July 2016 to make room for the Rio Olympics in August.
The US PGA will move from its traditional August date for the first time since 1971, being staged at Baltusrol in New Jersey from July 28-31.
The Open will be held at Royal Troon from July 14-17.
The opening ceremony of the Olympics in Rio takes place on August 5, with the golf competitions (72-hole strokeplay events for men and women) provisionally scheduled for August 6-9 and 12-15.
PGA of America chief executive Pete Bevacqua said on Wednesday: “It really wasn’t difficult at all to come up with that date. We worked closely with the R&A and the USGA and obviously Augusta National being the caretakers of the other majors, and it just makes sense.
“It’s a condensed schedule in 2016. Obviously with the Olympics, it’s also a Ryder Cup year, you throw in obviously the FedEx Cup, so it’s a very congested schedule.
“I would tell you that we view it as a positive. We think that the end of July at Baltusrol just outside of New York City is actually a better time of year than August.
“We think the temperatures will be better and also in terms of the activities of the residents of that area. Less people are on vacation, more people are in town and we think it will work out as a real benefit to the 2016 PGA Championship.”
Latest
-
NewsSteve Stricker makes Padraig Harrington sweat as Irishman wins US Senior Open
The pair were rival captains in last year’s Ryder Cup in Wisconsin.
-
NewsGolfers warned of further sanctions if they continue to play in LIV breakaway
The DP World Tour has issued fines of £100,000 and tournament bans to its members who played in the inaugural LIV Golf event earlier this month
-
European TourDP World Tour hits members who played inaugural LIV series with £100,000 fines
They have also been banned from several forthcoming tournaments including the Scottish Open.
-
NewsRory McIlroy not impressed as Brooks Koepka becomes latest big name to join LIV
The world number two labelled the players who have joined the new series as “duplicitous” for the way they have handled their breakaway.
-
The OpenR&A confirms LIV Golf Series players will be allowed to compete at Open
The 150th Open Championship will get underway at St Andrews in three weeks’ time.
-
US OpenMatt Fitzpatrick turns to other major winners for advice on dealing with fame
Fitzpatrick won the US Open on Sunday.
-
NewsBrooks Koepka set to join Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series
Koepka’s brother Chase played in the opening event at Centurion Club earlier this month.
-
US OpenGary Player urges Matt Fitzpatrick to avoid ‘poison’ of modern-day coaching
Player tells US Open champion Fitzpatrick to learn from mistakes of recent major winners, saying: “The teaching today is the worst it has ever been.”
-
US OpenMatt Fitzpatrick’s caddie Billy Foster ready for ‘long party’ after US Open win
Foster won his first major after a 40-year career which includes spells working for the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke.
-
US OpenMatt Fitzpatrick backed to become a dominant force after winning first major
The Englishman claimed his first major title at Brookline.