San Francisco (USA), Jun 16 (IANS): The PGA Championship has been cleared to be held in early August at Harding Park, San Francisco without fans. It will be the first Major to be held in the rehashed 2020 calendar.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, public health officials of the city have given the green light for it to be held without spectators. It will be the first time since 2012 that a major championship is held in San Francisco.

The championship is scheduled to be held from August 6 to 9.

It is a turnaround from last month when San Francisco Governor Gavin Newsom struck a pessimistic tone about holding sports events in California this summer and fall.

Newsom however changed his stance on May 18 when he said sports could return in the state in June without spectators. Then, on May 28, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said that sports events could take place in the city, also without fans, starting Monday, June 15.

PGA tickets, which have sold briskly for the past two years, still were available online Monday. The Chronicle also reports that spectators who bought tickets to the tournament will be given refunds.