The Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles will not feature on the European Tour in 2014 due to the venue’s staging of the Ryder Cup, but will return in 2015. With preparations for the Ryder Cup set to be in full swing during the Johnnie Walker Championship’s scheduled August date, the European Tour and Gleneagles’ owners have agreed to postpone the tournament for 12 months. European Ryder Cup director Richard Hills said: “We are very grateful to the management of both Diageo, the owners of Johnnie Walker, and The Gleneagles Hotel for agreeing to postpone the Johnnie Walker Championship so that preparations for the Ryder Cup can begin as planned in July 2014. “The magnitude of the Ryder Cup is such that trying to host the Johnnie Walker Championship in the same season would have compromised both events.” Keith Waters, chief operating officer and director of international policy for the European Tour, added: “We looked at rescheduling the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles to an earlier week on the 2014 schedule but a suitable date could not be found. “But we are delighted all parties have agreed to reschedule the Championship for 2015.” The 2014 Ryder Cup will take place from September 26-28, when Europe will defend the trophy they so dramatically retained at Medinah earlier this year.
