Asia-Pacific Amateurs canceled due to COVID-19

COVID-19 continues to make an impact on the golf world. One of the first sporting events to be threatened by the virus, the women’s championship was set to be played back in February. Postponed to October, the event was canceled late on July 7 alongside the men’s championship which was originally set for Oct. 29 - Nov. 1. With a complete reset, the women’s championship is now scheduled for Feb. 4-7, 2021 at the original 2020 venue of Siam Country Club in Pattaya, Thailand. As for the men’s championship, the original venue of Royal Melbourne may not be available as dates nor a venue have been announced regarding the men’s championship. “Our highest priority is the health and safety of our players, officials, and everyone throughout the world involved in running these great championships,” said Taimur Amin, Chairman of the APGC via Golfweek. “Given the ongoing concerns and global impacts of this pandemic, we determined with our respective partners that these events, unfortunately, could not proceed as planned this year.” Since 2009, the Asian-Pacific Amateur has been played to further advance the game on that side of the globe. Since 2018, the men’s champion receives exemptions into The Masters as well as The Open. The event is also one of four amateur championships acknowledged by WAGR as ‘elite’, joining the U.S. Amateur, British Amateur, and European Amateur. The women’s championship began in 2018 with immediate success. Women champions earn exemptions into the AIG British Open, the Evian Championship, as well as an invite to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. With the cancellations, men’s defending champ, USC’s Lin Yuxin will have to wait another year to go for his third APAC championship. 2019 women’s champ Yuka Yasuda recently turned pro, forfeiting her ability to defend her title.