PGA Championship to resume on Saturday as 54-hole event after death of Queen Elizabeth

The BMW PGA Championship will resume on Saturday following the postponement of play after the death of Queen Elizabeth.

Buckingham Palace announced the news on Thursday evening and play in the first round at Wentworth was immediately suspended with 30 players on the course.

The course and practice facilities were closed on Friday, but play will restart at 6.40am on Saturday with the tournament reduced to 54 holes. A two-minute period of silence will also be held at 9.50am on Saturday.

The DP World Tour said in a statement: “The decision to restart on Saturday has been taken in accordance with Official National Mourning guidance and in consultation with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

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“The Wentworth event will give players, caddies, staff, volunteers and spectators the opportunity to come together across the weekend, not only to express their condolences but also to celebrate the extraordinary life of Her Majesty.

“We join other sports in doing this, including the men’s Test match between England and South Africa at the Oval and the Women’s IT20 match between England and India in County Durham, Premiership rugby union, rugby league and the Great North Run in the north east of England.

“The second round of the BMW PGA Championship will resume at 6.40am on Saturday morning and all original second-round tee times will remain the same.

“Those players who are yet to complete their first round will do so from 7.30am onwards from the place on the golf course where they stopped on Thursday afternoon.

“The Rolex Series event will now be contested over 54 holes with the intention to finish on Sunday as scheduled.

“It is not possible to play the full 72 holes and finish on Monday as we cannot guarantee the staff, facilities or security of the venue on Monday due to the ongoing plans for the state funeral.

“Across the weekend at Wentworth, black ribbons will be made available for people to wear and flags will continue to fly at half-mast.

“In addition, there will be a two-minute silence at 9.50am on Saturday morning across the venue to commemorate the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, with the proclamation of King Charles III being shown on the television screens in the Championship Village from 10am.”

The statement didn’t confirm if a cut will be made after 36 holes.

Tommy Fleetwood, Andy Sullivan and Viktor Hovland shared the clubhouse lead on eight under par when play was suspended.

Tributes to the queen from the world of golf continued to be paid on Friday, with Dame Laura Davies tweeting: “Thank you your Majesty you truly were Elizabeth the Great RIP.

The Ladies European Tour wrote on social media: “Everyone at the LET is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“Our thoughts and condolences are with The Royal Family and everyone mourning the loss of Her Majesty.”

A two-minute period of silence was held during the second day’s play in the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open on Friday.

Here’s what’s happening in other sports

Soccer

All Premier League and English Football League games this weekend have been postponed, while the matches scheduled for the Women’s Super League opening weekend, Women’s Championship and Women’s FA Cup have also been called off, along with all grassroots football. Further updates regarding Premier League and EFL fixtures during the period of mourning will be provided in due course.

The Scottish Football Association announced the postponement of all professional games over the course of the weekend, while all football in Northern Ireland and Wales is also off.

Derry City’s Airtricity League game against Bohemians, which is scheduled to be broadcast live on RTÉ 2, will go ahead at the Brandywell, with a 7.45pm kick-off.

Horse racing

The final day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster has been switched to Sunday after the British Horseracing Authority announced the cancellation of all Saturday’s fixtures as “an ongoing mark of respect”. Musselburgh races on Sunday were cancelled owing to the fact that the Queen’s body will be lying in rest in Edinburgh.

Rugby union

Both games in the opening round of Premiership fixtures on Friday night have been called off. Sale’s home clash with Northampton will be rearranged, with the west country derby between Bristol and Bath at Ashton Gate now taking place on Saturday.

Premiership Rugby confirmed that four matches scheduled for the weekend will go ahead as planned. Leicester’s trip to Exeter, London Irish versus Worcester and Newcastle against Harlequins will also take place on Saturday, while Gloucester will host Wasps on Sunday. The Scottish Rugby Union postponed all domestic competitive games this weekend and the women’s Test between Scotland and Spain on Sunday is also off.

Cricket

The third Test between England and South Africa will resume on Saturday morning, with the start of play to be preceded by what may be the first full, official televised rendition of God Save the King at a sporting event.

Boxing

The women’s world middleweight title fight between Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields in London has been rearranged for October 15th.

Athletics

Both the Great North Run and Parkrun events will continue this weekend as scheduled. Organisers cancelled the Great North Run’s 5K sister event on Friday, but Sunday’s half-marathon will go ahead.

Cycling

Friday’s Tour of Britain stage was promptly cancelled and later on Thursday evening the rest of the race, which was set to finish on the Isle of Wight on Sunday, was called off entirely. Gonzalo Serrano was declared the winner based on his position in the general classification.