The Symetra Tour has announced a revised 2020 schedule, adding two new tournaments and extending the season by five weeks to a November finish.
While the original 2020 Symetra Tour schedule has 20 events, the revised schedule has 16.
The season is now set to resume July 8-10 in Maineville, Ohio for the Prasco Charity Championship, which was postponed two weeks from its initial dates.
The two new tournaments are set for Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz. from Aug. 27-29 and Pinehurst No. 9 in North Carolina from Oct. 28-31. The latter will be the next-to-last event of the season and the first time the Symetra Tour has had an event at Pinehurst Resort. Longbow Golf Club hosted the Symetra Tour from 2013-2015 and in 2017.
The season-ending Symetra Tour Championship will now be played Nov. 3-6 in Davidson, N.C., at River Run Country Club. The season finale was originally scheduled for Oct. 1-4 at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Symetra Classic now holds that original date.
“First and foremost, we are grateful to our tournament partners and venues for supporting our athletes as we work to preserve as many playing opportunities as possible,” said Mike Nichols, the Chief Business Officer of the Symetra Tour. “We’re also excited to welcome two new events to the Symetra Tour family at first-class golf courses we know will challenge our members once it is safe to return to competition.”
The Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass Golf Club in Harris, Mich., has also been postponed from its original June 19-21 slot with the hope of rescheduling to an early fall date.
Six tournaments were already postponed or cancelled for the season, including two in this announcement: the Donald Ross Classic at French Lick Resort, which was scheduled for July 9-11, and what was to be the inaugural Circling Raven Championship in Idaho, scheduled from Aug. 28-30.
“This is the right thing to do, and we look forward to working with the LPGA in hosting the Symetra Tour’s Circling Raven Championship in 2021,” said Laura Stensgar, CEO, Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel.
“These are challenging and unique times we are all facing,” said Dave Harner, the Director of Golf for the Donald Ross Course at French Lick Resort and tournament director.
“This is the right decision as we look out for the health and safety of all involved. It is disappointing that the Symetra Tour won’t be swinging through French Lick this year, but the celebration for the event will be bigger and better than ever come next summer.”
On May 21, the Symetra Tour cancelled the Prasco Charity Championship and the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic, further delaying the start of the season.
“While it was a difficult decision to cancel these events for 2020, there is a silver lining in that each will be back next year,” said Mike Nichols, the chief business officer of the Symetra Tour. “We are grateful to work with such outstanding partners as Prasco and the credit unions of the greater Rochester area, and look forward to working with everyone involved for years to come.”
Revised 2020 Symetra Tour schedule
As of May 21
- March 6-8 -- Florida's Natural Charity Classic -- Country Club of Winter Haven, Winter Haven, Fla. -- $125,000
- July 8-10 -- Prasco Charity Championship -- TPC River's Bend, Cincinnati, Ohio -- $175,000 (cancelled)
- July 16-19 -- Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic -- Brook Lea Country Club, Rochester, N.Y. -- $175,000 (cancelled)
- July 24-26 -- FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship -- Battle Creek Country Club, Battle Creek, Mich. -- $175,000 (+$50,000)
- July 31 - Aug. 2 -- Four Winds Invitational -- Blackthorn Golf Club, South Bend, Ind. -- $150,000 (rescheduled from June 12-14)
- Aug. 7-9 -- PHC Classic -- Brown Deer Park Golf Course, Milwaukee, Wis. -- $125,000
- Aug. 14-16 -- Garden City Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes -- Buffalo Dunes Golf Club, Garden City, Kan. -- $175,000 (+$25,000)
- Aug. 21-23 -- IOA Championship -- Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon, Beaumont, Calif. -- $150,000 (rescheduled from March 27-29)
- Aug. 27-29 -- TBA New Event -- Longbow Golf Club, Mesa, Ariz. -- PURSE TBA
- Sept. 3-5 (Saturday finish) -- Copper Rock Championship -- Copper Rock Golf Course, Hurricane, Utah -- $200,000
- Sept. 18-20 -- Guardian Championship -- Capitol Hill Golf Club, Prattville, Ala. -- $175,000
- Sept. 25-27 -- IOA Golf Classic -- Alaqua Country Club, Longwood, Fla. -- $175,000
- Oct. 1-4 -- Symetra Classic -- River Run Country Club, Davidson, N.C. -- $175,000 (rescheduled from May 13-15)
- Oct. 28-31 -- TBA New Event -- Pinehurst No. 9, Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, N.C. -- PURSE TBA
- Nov. 3-6 -- Symetra Tour Championship -- LPGA International (Jones Course), Daytona Beach, Fla. -- $250,000 (rescheduled from Oct. 1-4)