By Joel Beall
The Australian PGA Championship is the latest golf event to fall victim to the coronavirus pandemic.

The event, co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and European Tour, was scheduled to begin on Dec. 3. However, current COVID-19 restrictions and quarantine protocols in Queensland made hosting the tournament an impossibility.

“The uncertainty created by the Covid-19 pandemic makes it extremely difficult to stage events at the level we would normally expect,” said PGA of Australia chief executive Gavin Kirkman. “We will continue to be agile and rely on the expert advice of the Queensland Government to safeguard against the spread of the virus.

“Our new date will be subject to health regulations and will be reviewed again in early December, when we expect to be armed with a more accurate prediction of Covid-19’s impact across the country during summer.”

The tournament—won last year by Adam Scott— is now pushed back to February, meaning the event could be played twice in 2021. But a final decision on its fate will likely come in December.

The news follows the postponement of the Australian Open in July, an event that has yet to be rescheduled.

The post Australian PGA Championship postponed due to coronavirus appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Joel Beall
The World Super 6 Perth returns to its innovative format for the second year, which features three rounds of stroke play and a final day consisting of six-hole matches between the top 24 players. But if that presentation wasn’t enough, the event—which is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia—is adding another creative element to the showcase.

Players at Lake Karrinyup C.C. will be wearing a mic this week. The devices will not just capture the conversation and remarks from inside the ropes, but allow the tournament’s broadcasters to interview the competitors before and after shots.

“Golf needs to continue to innovate to stay relevant in the modern market. Fans increasingly want more insight into the game, watching a player hit a superb shot is no longer enough. We now want to know the thought process behind that shot,” said Gavin Kirkman, CEO of the Australian circuit. “PGA Open Mic will allow fans an inside the ropes experience, from the comfort of their lounge room that they have never before experienced in golf.”    

Tournament officials concede the success of this property heavily depends on the buy-in from the players; if they fail to provide color or character, the access is rendered moot. Nevertheless, Kirkman said the players are on board with the endeavor.

“They are passionate sports fans, they watch what other sports are doing to bring fans closer to the action and they want to provide this same opportunity to golf fans,” Kirkman said.

This year’s field is headlined by Lee Westwood, Danny Willett and Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston. Brett Rumford is the defending champ.

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