Ohio Golf Journal September 2020

Ohio experienced one of the most intense seven weeks of professional golf in the summer of 2020. Beginning with the Workday Charity Open in early July, six professional golf tournaments were played in the state on five different golf courses. With all sports shut down due to the COVID-19 beginning in March and the economic uproar caused by the pandemic, sports fans were ready for a diversion. Ohio golf courses and administrators were in the right place at the right time to deliver unprecedented professional golf coverage to fans across the world. Ohio Took the Lead Golf took the lead in the sports world and Ohio became ground zero for the restart. Since the game is played outdoors with minimal contact necessary between competitors and officials, the entire sports world wondered if golf could keep competitors, volunteers and staff safe. Major League Baseball closed spring training and delayed the start of the regular season. The NBA was in the middle of their season, when players began to exhibit symptoms of the coronavirus and they were forced to shut down operations, as well. Thus, began three months of uncertainty. When would golf, or any sports league resume Ohio Saw a Ton of Professional Golf in July and August By Fred Altvater operations and would fans be allowed to attend? When the John Deere Classic and The OPEN both announced they would not be held in 2020, golf officials were able to slip in a substitute event, the Workday Charity Open into the Deere’s abandoned time slot and Muirfield Village became the host venue. The Memorial, originally scheduled for its normal early June dates, switched to fill the dates vacated by The OPEN and was to become the first professional sport of any kind to allow fans to attend. That didn’t happen, however, as they were forced, at the last minute, to amend their original idea and go fan-less. Collin Morikawa impressed fans with his aggressive play to win the Workday Charity Open. He provedonceagain, if youcanwin at MuirfieldVillage, you can win a major championship, when he hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy at the PGA Championship a scant three weeks later. John Rahm won the Memorial with a solid performance on the slick and firm fairways and greens at Muirfield Village and moved to the number one spot in the Official World Golf Ranking. He also added a second victory at the BMW Championship.