WGC-HSBC Champions event canceled due to COVID restrictions in China
The WGC-HSBS event scheduled to take place in Shanghai this October has been canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions in China, the PGA Tour announced on Wednesday.
With the event being canceled, the purse for the same week's Butterfield Bermuda Championship will be increased to $6.5 million and the event itself will award full FedEx Cup points.
The PGA Tour and the China Golf Association made the joint decision to cancel the WGC event as parts of Shanghai and Beijing experience a rise in COVID cases. This marks the third season in a row the event, considered one of the biggest golf events in Asia, has been canceled due to COVID issues.
"We have worked with all Tours, as well as the China Golf Association, on the viability of hosting the WGC-HSBC Champions this fall, but unfortunately the logistical implications forced the difficult decision to cancel the event," PGA Tour senior vice president Christian Hardy said in a statement obtained by ESPN. "We are thankful for HSBC's partnership during these trying times as we continue to navigate the changing COVID-19 climate."
World-ranked No. 2 Rory McIlroy was the last winner of the WGC in 2018.
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