USGA pulls plug on U.S. Senior Amateur at Country Club of Detroit

Michigan has conceded another major golf championship to the coronavirus.

The United States Golf Association announced Monday the cancellation of four more tournaments, including the U.S. Senior Amateur, which was scheduled for Aug. 29-Sept. 3 at Country Club of Detroit in Grosse Pointe Farms.

Also canceled Monday were the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur (Aug. 29-31, South Carolina), the U.S. Mid-Amateur (Sept. 12-17, Virginia), and the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur (Sept. 12-17, Alabama). Previously, the USGA canceled the U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Senior Women's Open, U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Girls' Junior Amateur, U.S. Amateur Four-Ball and U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball.

The U.S. Senior Amateur dates to 1955, and is open to players 55 and older. It was last held in Michigan in 1991, at Crystal Downs in Northern Michigan.

“Throughout this process, our primary focus has been the safety and well-being of everyone involved, including our players, volunteers, host club representatives and staff,” John Bodenhamer, senior managing director of Championships for the USGA, said a statement. “We have not taken these decisions lightly and wish we had more options. But with a continued, keen interest in doing what is best for all involved, although we are extremely disappointed, this is the right decision.”   

More: Michigan Open announces new dates for nine qualifiers

Country Club of Detroit twice has hosted the U.S. Amateur, including in 1954, when Arnold Palmer won.

The USGA's signature tournament, the U.S. Open, was pushed back from June to Sept. 17-20, at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York. The U.S. Women's Open was moved from June to Dec. 10-13, at Champions Golf Club in Houston.

Both will be held without the normal qualifiers — the single-day shootouts that really signify the "open" in the tournaments' name — meaning all spots will be filled via exemptions.

In Michigan, COVID-19 already has led to the cancellation of Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbor and the LPGA Tour's Great Lakes Bay Invitational in Midland. The PGA Tour's Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit is delayed to July, and the LPGA Tour's Meijer Classic outside Grand Rapids was rescheduled for October. The Champions Tour's Ally Challenge in Grand Blanc still is scheduled for July.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tonypaul1984