[Golf Topic] DP World Tour "Reduction, Cancellation"... "COVID-19 South Africa Variant Lightning Strike"

Land Park Golf Course, where the DP World Tour 2022 season opener Joburg Open is being held. Johannesburg, South Africa = Getty Images / Multibits

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] ○..."Reduced to 54 holes."

The DP World Tour (European Tour), held in Johannesburg, South Africa, was hit hard by the COVID-19 South African variant starting from the 2022 season opener, the Joburg Open. On the 27th (Korean time), it announced, "We will reduce the tournament to help players and caddies return home safely." Many European players have already withdrawn. The South African Open, co-hosted with the Sunshine Tour in South Africa and scheduled to open on the 2nd of next month, and the Alfred Dunhill Championship on the 9th have both been canceled.

The starting point was the announcement by the UK and the European Union to suspend flights coming from Africa to prevent the COVID-19 South African variant. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the new COVID-19 virus variant as a 'variant of concern' and named it 'Omicron,' the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet. It was discovered in Botswana, Africa, and has recently been spreading rapidly in South Africa. The United States has also imposed travel restrictions on eight countries including South Africa.