The Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational at Midland Country Club was scheduled to be the first LPGA event on the coronavirus-altered schedule, but the LPGA and event organizers canceled the tournament on Friday.
“As I’ve said since this pandemic started, while we will do all we can to play safely in 2020, the most important thing is to ensure the long-term health of our Tour,” LPGA commissioner Mike Whan said in a statement. “We are very thankful to the team at Dow for their ongoing and extended support. The 2019 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational was an incredible addition to our schedule, and I’m excited to see what they bring to the table in 2021.”
The partner play event debuted in 2019 and was scheduled to mark the LPGA’s return July 15-18. Instead, it will not be held until 2021. The Midland, Mich., event was named LPGA Tournament of the Year last season.
The next event on the schedule is not guaranteed to take place, either, but Whan said announcements regarding the status of future events would be made as necessary.
Up next on the revised schedule would be the Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio (July 23-26). The ShopRite LPGA Classic is scheduled for July 31-Aug. 2 in Galloway, N.J.
“The decision by Dow and the LPGA to cancel was certainly not easy,” Dow chairman and CEO Jim Fitterling stated in a press release. “We explored all available options, and the LPGA has been working with us every step of the way. We are convinced that moving toward planning an incredible tournament in 2021 is the right decision to ensure the safety of everyone involved.”
Michigan will still host an LPGA event in 2020. The Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club in Rockford was moved to Oct. 1-4 from its original June date.
–Field Level Media
