[Golf Topic] LPGA "Next Year's Australian Big Open Canceled"

Park Heeyoung is being showered with champagne immediately after winning the ISPS Handa Big Open.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] ○…The ISPS Handa Vic Open, part of the LPGA Tour scheduled to be held in Australia next February, has been canceled.

The Australian Golf Association announced on the 23rd (Korean time) that "due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), next year's Vic Open will not take place." The tournament is jointly hosted by the LPGA Tour and the Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) Tour. Last February, Hee-young Park (33, Isu Group) drew attention by winning after a playoff battle against Hye-jin Choi (21, Lotte) and So-yeon Ryu (30, Mediheal). It was her third career win, the first in 6 years and 7 months since the Manulife Financial Classic in July 2013.

Earlier, the Australian Golf Association and PGA of Australia canceled the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Open for men and women last week. The Australian Women's Open is also a tournament co-hosted by the LPGA Tour. In February this year, In-bee Park (32, KB Financial Group) won the title, achieving her 20th career victory. The LPGA Tour schedule for next year has not yet been announced. The season opener will be the Diamond Resorts Tournament held on January 21 in Orlando, Florida, USA.