In a Sept 29, 2018 photo, Brooks Koepka of the US plays out of the rough during a foursome match on the second day of the 42nd Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, outside Paris, France. (MATT DUNHAM / AP)

NEW YORK - The PGA Championship will be held in August without spectators, the tour said on Monday, citing health and safety concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of golf’s four majors, the event was previously postponed from its originally scheduled May date at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco because of the scale of the outbreak.

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“While the local community cannot be with us physically on-site, we will certainly carry their spirit of resilience and unity with us as we stage our major championship,” said PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh.

Ticket-holders who purchased directly from PGA of America will be contacted in the coming days regarding refunds for the event, which is expected to run from Aug 3-9, with two-time champion Brooks Koepka seeking a third consecutive win.