LPGA loses a major as Evian Championship in France canceled

LPGA Tour lost its first major because of COVID-19 pandemic when it anunced Tuesday Evian Championship in France has been canceled this year.

LPGA Tour cited ongoing travel and border restrictions, along with government quarantine requirements for t holding tournament on Aug. 6-9. It will return to schedule next year in Evian-les-Bains.

LPGA Tour is set to resume in Ohio with Marathon Classic on July 23-26. For w, it has majors scheduled in August, September, October and December.

“I have been incredibly impressed by entire team at Evian Championship. y worked so hard to host this global event despite obvious challenges,” LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said.

“y kw that high-pursed, career-changing events like Evian are more important than ever, especially in an LPGA year that has been drastically reduced due to COVID-19. I kw this was a tough decision for everyone involved, but it’s one that we h to take given restrictions we faced.”

Evian dates to 1994 when it began as a Lies European Tour event, and it became part of LPGA schedule in 2000 when it was Evian Masters. With one of higher purses in women’s golf, LPGA designated it as a fifth major in 2013. It was moved from September to July in 2019 for better wear conditions.

In revised schedule brought on by pandemic, it was to be first of three European events, preceding Lies Scottish Open and Women’s British Open. Those two events remain on schedule.

ANA Inspiration in California, originally scheduled for first week in April, has been moved to Sept. 10-13. Women’s PGA Championship outside Philelphia is scheduled for Oct. 8-11. U.S. Women’s Open is Dec. 10-13 in Houston, three weeks after LPGA Tour season concludes with CME Group Tour Championship in Florida.

That means LPGA will have more than three majors in its season.

PGA Tour will have only one major in its season, with British Open having been canceled, U.S. Open moving from June to September and Masters going from April to vember.