Four Asian Regional Tournaments Canceled Due to 'COVID-19', Resuming Next Month on the 19th at Pelican Women's Championship
[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] The U.S. Women's Professional Golf (LPGA) Tour is entering a one-month "autumn break."
After the Drive On Championship - Reynolds Lake Oconee (total prize money $1.3 million), which concluded on the 26th at Great Waters Golf Club (par 72) in Greensboro, Georgia, USA, the tour is on a hiatus. The next tournament will open on November 19 at Pelican Golf Club (par 70) in Belleair, Florida, USA, the Pelican Women's Championship (total prize money $1.5 million). The original May schedule was postponed by six months due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).
The reason for the LPGA Tour gap is that the entire "Asian Swing" was canceled due to the aftereffects of COVID-19. The Buick LPGA Shanghai (China), BMW Ladies (Korea), Taiwan Swinging Skirts (Taiwan), and Toto Japan Classic (Japan), all planned for October to November, were canceled one after another. The tournament organizing committee explained, "COVID-19 prevention measures are not easy, and due to travel restrictions between countries, it is impossible to hold the tournaments."
The LPGA Tour was shut down after the Australian Women's Open in February and resumed after five months with the Drive On Championship at the end of July. Considering the safety of players, caddies, and officials, the matches are held without spectators. Top players such as world No. 1 Ko Jin-young (25), Kim Hyo-joo (25, Lotte), Lee Jeong-eun 6 (24, Daebang Construction), and Yoo So-yeon (30, Mediheal) have been staying in Korea since the outbreak of COVID-19. Only four remaining tournaments, including the U.S. Women's Open, are left.
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