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“This unprecedented decision was due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty that this has caused to ensuring that the 2020 WATC could be staged successfully,” said IGF Executive Director Antony Scanlon. “But most importantly, it was made to safeguard the health and safety of all athletes, officials and volunteers at the 2020 WATC, to which there was no certainty that this risk could be mitigated to an acceptable level.”
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (May 6, 2020) – The International Golf Federation announced today that the 2020 World Amateur Team Championships scheduled for October have been canceled due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision follows the IGF’s announcement in February that the biennial event for men and women, originally to be held in Hong Kong, was moving to Singapore due to ongoing social unrest in Hong Kong.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IGF continued to work with the Singapore Golf Association (SGA) to host both competitions at Tanah Merah Country Club and Sentosa Golf Club on the same dates as planned, with the Espirito Santo Trophy for women scheduled from October 14-17 and the Eisenhower Trophy for men from October 21-24.
“This unprecedented decision was due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty that this has caused to ensuring that the 2020 WATC could be staged successfully,” said IGF Executive Director Antony Scanlon. “But most importantly, it was made to safeguard the health and safety of all athletes, officials and volunteers at the 2020 WATC, to which there was no certainty that this risk could be mitigated to an acceptable level.”
“I would also note that we gave thoughtful consideration to postponing the Championships to 2021,” Scanlon continued. “However, this would have created considerable scheduling and logistical issues that were insurmountable, plus we still could not say with absolute certainty that we could hold it without risk next year. Therefore, it is preferred that the IGF look forward to focusing on and delivering a wonderful 2022 event in France.”
Dating back to 1958, the World Amateur Team Championships include up to 72 countries competing in 72 holes of stroke play competition. Each country fields two or three players with the two lowest scores counting per round.
About the International Golf Federation
The IGF is composed of 151 Member Federations, from 146 countries, representing more than 60 million people who play golf. All national golf federations affiliated to the IGF are being included in the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of their countries. The IGF is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the international federation for golf. In addition to the World Amateur Team Championships, the IGF also organizes the golf competitions at the Olympic Games and the Youth Olympic Games.