U.S. Golf Association cancels U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship set for May at Philadelphia Cricket Club due to coronavirus

The U.S. Golf Association announced Tuesday it has canceled the 2020 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship scheduled for May 23-27 at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown because of the coronavirus pandemic. The event will not be rescheduled.

The USGA also canceled the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball set for next month at Naples, Fla., as well as local, or first-stage, qualifying for the U.S. Open, and qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open.

The association said planning would continue for the U.S. Women’s Open, June 4-7 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, and the U.S. Open, June 18-21 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.

A USGA statement cited “the recent CDC guidance and the evolving dynamics of the coronavirus pandemic” as a reason for the cancellation of the four-ball events, the first two championships of 2020.

The association added, “At this time, it is premature to speculate what might occur with other 2020 USGA championships. We will continue to monitor all available guidance and regulations from the CDC, [World Health Organization] and other federal, state and local authorities to do what is in the best interests of our community.”

The U.S. Amateur Four-Ball is one of the newer USGA championships, having conducted its inaugural event in 2015. The competition slated for the Wissahickon and Militia Hill courses at Philadelphia Cricket Club would have featured 128 teams of two players each playing a better-ball format.

Eight teams in the competition represent clubs in the Golf Association of Philadelphia, including the pair of Vince Kwon of Huntingdon Valley and Troy Vannucci of Little Mill, who were semifinalists in the championship last year.

Regarding the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women’s Open, the USGA said it would “look to redesign qualifying going forward as events unfold."