Open Championship call was made with ‘heavy heart’ as St Andrews now looks towards 2022

Zach Johnson lifts the Claret Jug the last time the Open was held in St Andrews in 2015. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images) | 2015 Getty Images

The R&A says it did everything in its power to get the 149th Open Championship played this summer at Royal St George’s.

Sadly, the tournament’s organiser announced earlier this week it had simply run out of time to get the Open played and instead made the call to cancel this year’s running.

This is the first time since the Second World War that golf’s original championship, first played in 1860, has been cancelled.

Of course, the cancellation of this year’s Open, and the decision to play it at Royal St George’s in 2021, has wider implications for St Andrews itself.

As part of the 150th celebrations of the Major Championship, the Old Course was scheduled to play host next year.

Plans will now have to be delayed a year until The Open is held instead in the town in 2022.

The R&A’s chief executive, Martin Slumbers, said: “Our absolute priority is to protect the health and safety of the fans, players, officials, volunteers and staff involved in The Open.

“We care deeply about this historic championship and have made this decision with a heavy heart.

“We appreciate this will be disappointing for a great many people around the world but this pandemic is severely affecting the UK and we have to act responsibly. It is the right thing to do.

“I can assure everyone that we have explored every option for playing The Open this year but it is not going to be possible.

“There are many different considerations that go into organising a major sporting event of this scale.

“We rely on the support of the emergency services, local authorities and a range of other organisations to stage the Championship and it would be unreasonable to place any additional demands on them when they have far more urgent priorities to deal with.”

The St Andrews Links Trust, which manages the Old Course, admitted the turn of events was disappointing but says it fully supported the R&A’s decision to host The Open in the town from July 10-17, 2022.

“This event loomed large in the golf calendar for everyone associated with St Andrews Links Trust and we know many of you shared the same excitement and enthusiasm as we did for the Old Course to host The 150th Open next year,” it said.

“When those dates arrive, we are sure it will serve as an even greater celebration of the place and what it means to golfers around the world.”

The R&A will transfer over tickets and hospitality packages purchased for the championship in 2020 to The Open in 2021.

Purchasers who no longer wish to, or are no longer able to, attend in 2021 will receive a full refund.

Further information on this process will be sent directly to ticket and hospitality purchasers. The 149th Open will be played at Royal St George’s from July 11-18, 2021.