R&A hopes delayed Senior British Open can still be played this year

The Senior British Open was postponed on Tuesday amid the coronavirus outbreak, with organizers still hoping the last senior major of the year can be played in 2020.

The event, due to take place at Sunningdale from July 23-26, is the fourth of the five senior majors to lose its scheduled place on the calendar because of the pandemic.

The Senior PGA Championship and the U.S. Senior Open have been canceled, while the Regions Tradition has been rescheduled for Sept. 24-27 from early May.

The Senior Players Championship, scheduled for Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, from July 9-12, hasn’t been called off yet.

A week after the regular British Open was canceled for the first time since 1945 and effectively pushed back 12 months so it can still be held at Royal St. George’s in 2021, the senior version was called off but not scrapped for the year, despite the challenges posed by limited daylight hours as it gets away from the summer.

“We will continue to investigate alternative options to host the Senior Open later in the year if at all possible,” said Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, executive director for championships at the R&A, “and will make an announcement in due course.”

Bernhard Langer is the defending champion, after winning at Royal Lytham last year.