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If you’ve never heard of such a thing as a virtual golf tournament, it seems like there’s a first time for everything in 2020.

City Treasurer Ronald H. Williams announced Thursday that his annual Treasurer’s United Way Golf Tournament scheduled for Sept. 18 at the Sleepy Hole Golf Course has been canceled out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of players and volunteers as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

The event will go virtual with pictures and videos of previous tournaments posted to the website and Facebook page, as Williams hopes to still bring in some money for local charities.

“As with so many other special events and functions, this year’s event will go ‘virtual’ in an effort to keep some semblance of tradition and to endeavor to raise critically-needed funds for local agencies,” Williams stated in a press release.

“This year’s tournament, which would have been the 25th annual event, was on track to raise well over $20,000 for the United Way of South Hampton Roads, with many of those dollars flowing to local agencies in Suffolk.

“While golfers won’t be able to meet in person to enjoy the day and raise funds for such a worthwhile cause, I will be reaching out to players and sponsors in hopes that they will be able to support the United Way of South Hampton Roads.”

The tournament, which historically attracts more than 100 golfers, has generated more than $500,000 for the United Way of South Hampton Roads since its inception in 1994. Proceeds from recent tournaments have been designated to the Coalition Against Poverty in Suffolk (CAPS), the Genieve Shelter, ForKids, the Western Tidewater Free Clinic, Suffolk Meals on Wheels, the Suffolk Salvation Army, the Boy Scouts of America, the Suffolk Cheer Fund, the Suffolk Unit of the Boys and Girls Clubs, the Suffolk Sickle Cell Foundation, the Suffolk Education Foundation, and more.

Anyone who would like to support this year’s virtual tournament should contact Shirley Snead, Chief Deputy Treasurer and the tournament’s coordinator.

Williams has reserved the Sleepy Hole Golf Course for the 26th annual tournament on Sept. 17, 2021.