PGA Tour cancels rest of Players, next 3 tournaments

By Doug Ferguson The Associated Press

5 years ago

Cameron Champ, Nate Lashley, Kevin Tway and their caddies, walk the 17th green, during the firs ... — Cameron Champ, Nate Lashley, Kevin Tway and their caddies, walk the 17th green, during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament Thursday, March 12, 2020 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, follows his shot from the 13th tee, during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament Thursday, March 12, 2020 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

A small crowd watches Scottie Scheffler hit from the sand on the eighth hole, during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan speaks at a news conference at the The Players Championship golf tournament, Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Monahan announced that the tournament will proceed without fans starting on Friday. The policy will continue through the Valero Texas Open. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, hold his ball after making a birdie putt on the seventh hole, during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The PGA Tour decided Thursday night to scrap the rest of The Players Championship and shut down its other tournaments for the next three weeks.

Commissioner Jay Monahan had said earlier Thursday there would be no fans at the TPC Sawgrass for the final three rounds, or at the next three tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule.

The tour changed its mind late Thursday.

“We did everything possible to create a safe environment for our players in order to continue the event through the weekend,” the tour said in a statement. “But at his point — and as the situation continues to rapidly change — the right thing to do for our players and our fans is to pause.”

There was no immediately word whether The Players Championship would be rescheduled.

The Players Championship is the premier tournament run by the PGA Tour, offering a $15 million purse, the richest in golf history. It was to be followed by the Valspar Championship in the Tampa Bay area, the Dell Match Play in Austin, Texas, and the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.