European Tour suspends ticket sales for all future events

The European Tour has suspended ticket and hospitality sales for all 2020 European Tour events until further notice as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Chief executive Keith Pelley made the announcement in an email circulated to European Tour supporters this evening. 

“As important as golf is to all of us, public health and well-being is the absolute priority,” wrote Pelley. 

“That will remain the case as we continue to monitor this rapidly evolving global pandemic over the coming weeks, working with the World Health Organisation and each national Government and their public health agencies to ensure we have the latest advice to inform all our decision making.”

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To date, the tour has been forced to either cancel or postpone seven tournaments on its 2020 schedule as a result of COVID-19.

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As well as The Masters and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, the tour has also lost the Kenya Open (Mar 12-15), the Hero Indian Open (Mar 19-22, the Maybank Championship (April 16-19), the Volvo China Open (April 23-26) and the D+D Czech Masters (August 19-22).

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The suspension of ticket sales will undoubtedly amplify concerns that more tournaments will be forced to follow suit. However, Pelley insisted that need not necessarily be the case

He added: “”This is a temporary measure but one we feel is proportionate in the current circumstances. If there are any changes to the status of any of our tournaments, we will communicate this to you in due course.