Mackenzie tour pulls the pin
by Wayne Moore
The Mackenzie Tour - PGA Tour Canada will not be teeing it up in 2020.
The tour announced Friday it is cancelling the entire season due to restrictions around COVID-19.
Last month, the tour postponed its first six events, including the GolfBC Championship, set for Gallagher's Canyon in June.
At the time, there were hopes the entire season could be salvaged, but that became untenable.
“With growing uncertainty surrounding the border and the 14-day quarantine regulations, among other factors, we’ve weighed all of our options and concluded that it is not feasible to play this summer,” said Mackenzie Tour executive director Scott Pritchard.
“With the safety of the communities we play in mind, as well as the well-being of our players, sponsors, tournament-organizing committees, volunteers and golf course staff, we came to the realization that this is the best decision for everyone involved.
Pritchard says they made the announcement now to allow players to pursue other options.
“Understanding the complexities that this pandemic has caused, we knew it wasn’t fair to leave our members in positions that might prevent them from pursuing other playing opportunities elsewhere while waiting to see what transpired in Canada.”
The tour had hoped to build on momentum from 2019, with a record 13 tour dates set.
Now, those plans will have to wait a year.
"Our commitment to our tournaments and their local communities, as well as our players, is unwavering, and we’re going to use this time to come back stronger in 2021.”