Next Week's Memorial Tournament To Take Place Without Fans

Fans were set to return on-site next week for the first time since March

Memorial Tournament To Take Place Without Fans
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Fans were set to return on-site next week for the first time since March

Next Week's Memorial Tournament To Take Place Without Fans

The PGA Tour and The Memorial Tournament have been forced to backtrack on its plans for fans to return next week "due to the rapidly changing dynamics of the Covid-19 pandemic."

There were set to be 20% of the usual capacity of fans on-site at Muirfield Village but due to the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Ohio it will be played without fans.

Ohio reported 1,301 new cases on Thursday, 1,091 on Friday, 926 on Saturday and 968 on Sunday.

All four of the PGA Tour's most recent tournaments have gone ahead without crowds and it still remains to be seen when fans will be allowed to return.

Both the USPGA Championship and the US Open will not allow crowds, and it is becoming increasingly likely that the Ryder Cup could be postponed due to fans not being allowed on-site.

This week's event, the Workday Charity Open, takes place at Muirfield Village as a replacement for the John Deere Classic, which was cancelled due to the revenues lost by no ticket sales.

Muirfield Village will host back-to-back events with The Memorial Tournament taking place next week.

It is always one of the best regular PGA Tour events of the year with its status as an Invitational, and it is expected that Tiger Woods might make his first start since February there.

“We applaud the leadership, diligence and partnership it took from Jack Nicklaus, Dan Sullivan, the entire Memorial Tournament staff and State, County and City leadership to build a solid plan that would allow for limited fan attendance at next week’s event,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.

“But given the broader challenges communities are facing due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, we need to stay focused on the No. 1 priority for our Return to Golf — the health and safety of all involved.

"While this was a difficult decision, it was one made collectively, and we are appreciative of the process undertaken to this point that will allow us to welcome on-site fans when the time is right.

"In the meantime, we have no doubt that the Memorial Tournament will once again be an incredible championship and deliver the best competitive environment for our players and utmost entertainment to our fans around the world.”

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV