LPGA stars set to compete at Texas Women’s Open in Dallas

Two-time major winner Stacy Lewis and former US Women’s Open winner Brittany Lang will tee it up at the Texas Women’s Open next week in Dallas.

American’s Lewis and Lang will be joined by several other US LPGA players, including Cheyenne Knight, France’s Celine Boutier, Maria Fassi, of Mexico, and Gerina Piller for the June 2-4 event.

The Texas Women’s Open used to be an LPGA Tour event in the 1950s, but is now sanctioned by the North Dallas chapter of the PGA of America.

It was first played in 1933 and previous winners include Babe Zaharias and Betsy Rawls.

The three-day, $50,000 tournament begins next Tuesday at the Old American golf Club outside of Dallas, Texas. Both Lang and Lewis were raised in Texas.

The LPGA remains on hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It shut down in February after just four events, two in Florida and two in Australia, and isn’t scheduled to return until July.

Many of the same players had expected to be in Texas next week for the US Women’s Open in Houston before officials moved that event to December.

The Texas Open will not allow fans, but golf matches in the state with spectators may not be far away. Republican Governor Greg Abbott plans to allow professional leagues to host fans again for outdoor sporting events at up to 25 percent capacity.

Leagues, like the LPGA, will have to apply to state health officials to be allowed to have fans. Indoor events will still be without spectators.

John Deere Classic cancelled

The John Deere Classic, in position to be the first US PGA Tour event to be played with spectators since the coronavirus pandemic, has been cancelled, the tour confirmed on Thursday.

Multiple media outlets had reported the event, scheduled for July 9-12 in Silvis, Illinois, would not be staged this year.

“As a result of this decision, the PGA Tour announced that it will fill the week vacated by the John Deere Classic with a new tournament,” the tour said in a statement, adding that details on the venue would be forthcoming in the near future.

“Because of the ongoing health and safety concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic, the difficult decision was made to cancel the 2020 John Deere Classic,” said tournament director Clair Peterson.

“While we considered several alternatives for the Classic, this was the choice that made the most sense for our guests, the players and the Quad City community at large.”

The Classic, won last year by South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli, is a staple at TPC Deere Run and was scheduled to be the fifth tournament in the tour’s return since it shut down in March.

Ongoing coronavirus restrictions in the state of Illinois ban gatherings of more than 50 people and those were expected to still be in place during the week of the John Deere event.

Agence France-Presse