The COVID-19 pandemic has silenced another in a long list of Island sporting events and leagues that were scheduled for this spring and summer.
The Mackenzie Tour - PGA Tour sa国际传媒 is postponing the first six tournaments of its 2020 season, including the DC Bank Open presented by the sa国际传媒, scheduled for June 4-7 at Uplands Golf Club.
鈥淲e are working hard with the Tour to hold it at a later date to be decided,鈥� said Keith Dagg, director of the Victoria tournament.
鈥淚f there is a Tour, we will be in it.鈥�
The Victoria pro tournament has been held annually since 1981. If it is played this year, sources say it will be in September.
鈥淚t would be a shame for our tournament to go away,鈥� Dagg said, vowing that will not happen: 鈥淓ven if it is off this year, we will go for next year. It鈥檚 definitely not going away.鈥�
Dagg said Uplands has been consulted about the postponement.
鈥淭hey realize this is a one-off situation and are happy to help out,鈥� he said.
Scott Pritchard, Mackenzie Tour - PGA Tour sa国际传媒 vice-president, concurred: 鈥淯plands has been fantastic. All the courses have been flexible and understanding. This has affected all facets of life.鈥�
The other tour events postponed are the sa国际传媒 Life Open in Vancouver (May 28-31), the GolfBC Championship in Kelowna (June 11-14), the Paradise Canyon Open in Lethbridge, Alta., (June 25-28), the Prince Edward Island Pro-Am in Cardigan (July 2-5) and the Osprey Valley Open in Caledon, Ont., (July 9-12).
The Mackenzie Tour - PGA Tour sa国际传媒 feeds into the Korn Ferry Tour, which in turn feeds into the PGA Tour.
鈥淲e鈥檙e part of a great big family, so our Tour had to wait to see what the PGA Tour was doing,鈥� said Dagg.
The PGA Tour on Thursday announced a restart date of June 8 with an extension of the season into the fall.
鈥淚 am optimistic that the PGA Tour plans on going ahead and playing this year,鈥� Dagg said. 鈥淭hat makes me hopeful that we can still have our tournament later this year.鈥�
The Mackenzie Tour - PGA Tour sa国际传媒 qualifying tournament scheduled for April 28 to May 1 at Crown Isle in Courtenay has also been postponed.
The Mackenzie Tour said it expects to make more announcements in the next couple of weeks with additional information about the 2020 schedule, as well as qualifying tournament sites and dates.
A perk of the Victoria tournament was a berth into the PGA Tour鈥檚 RBC Canadian Open for the winner. It was announced Thursday, however, that the RBC Canadian Open, scheduled for June 11-14 at St. George鈥檚 Golf Club in Ontario, has been cancelled.
The DC Bank Victoria Open joins a growing list of major Island sports events affected by the pandemic. The sa国际传媒 men鈥檚 soccer games against Trinidad and Tobago, considered key for 2022 World Cup Qatar qualifying in CONCACAF and scheduled for last month at Westhills Stadium in Langford, were cancelled. So, too, the annual sa国际传媒 10K that was scheduled for this month.
The annual Stars on Ice, featuring former world championship and Olympic figure skating medallists, has been cancelled. It had been scheduled for May 12 at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. The sa国际传媒 Sevens women鈥檚 rugby tournament, planned for May 2-3 at Westhills Stadium, has also been postponed.
The Canadian Little League baseball championship set for Aug. 6-16 at Layrtiz Park is in serious jeopardy, while the Olympic basketball qualifying tournament, originally scheduled for June 23-28 at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, was rescheduled to next summer after the Games were pushed back to 2021.
The Western Lacrosse Association, which includes the Victoria Shamrocks and Nanaimo Timbermen, and pro Canadian Premier League of soccer, including Island-based Pacific FC, have postponed the starts of their seasons.
The remainder of the Victoria Royals鈥� Western Hockey League season, including playoffs, was cancelled. The sa国际传媒 Hockey League and Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League were scrubbed mid-stride in the playoffs.
The West Coast League of baseball, which includes the Victoria HarbourCats, has yet to make an announcement.
