European Open Cancelled for Second Year Running Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

The cancellation of the 2021 European Open and European Amateur Open marks a significant blow to the disc golf community, with many fans eagerly anticipating the 10th anniversary celebration of this prestigious event. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has once again had a devastating impact on international sports events, forcing organizers to make the difficult decision to cancel these two major tournaments.

This announcement brings the total number of professional Majors lost to the pandemic to four, following the cancellation of all PDGA Majors in 2020 except for the United States Disc Golf Championship and the Women's National Championship. The 10th iteration of the European Open was meant to take place in 2021 or 2022, but it seems that fans will have to wait until at least 2023 to witness this milestone event.

Tournament Director Jukka Teräs expressed his disappointment and frustration with the situation, stating that "after a long and difficult spring with regular meetings we've reached a heavy decision to cancel both, European Open and European Amateur Open, this year." He emphasized that international travel restrictions and local limitations on gatherings would have significantly diminished the grandeur of the event.

Despite the cancellation, Teräs remains optimistic about the future of the European Open. He announced that registered players will be able to convert their fees into preregistration for the 2022 event, allowing them to secure their spot in what promises to be a special anniversary edition. Other PDGA Majors, including the upcoming United States Women's Disc Golf Championship and the 2021 PDGA Professional World Disc Golf Championships, are expected to proceed as planned.

However, Teräs acknowledged that the impact of international travel restrictions on the European Open has been particularly significant, with many top players from the US unable to attend. He expressed his understanding of the need for other Majors to take place, but noted that "the consequence of U.S. players being absent from the European events is much bigger than Europeans missing from the U.S. events."

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/2021-european-open-and-european-amateur-open-canceled