Beijing, China: The first tournament on the LPGA’s six-event ‘Asia Swing’ this fall will not be played, the Tour has announced.
The Reignwood Pine Valley LPGA Classic, which was scheduled to take place from October 1-4 at Pine Valley Golf Club in suburban Beijing, will not go ahead.
Although the LPGA did not specify the reasons for the cancellation, it said the long-term future of the tournament is secure. The event is contracted with the LPGA for two years, through 2017.
Feng Simin, an LPGA rookie from Beijing told Golfweek that she thought the venue was not ready for the 2015 event. Feng had an exemption lined up through the China LPGA, if needed. Pine Valley is 40 minutes from Feng’s home in Beijing and her grandparents had planned to attend.
“Besides the HSBC in Shanghai, I think it had some of the best crowds in China golf,” Feng was quoted as saying by Golfweek.
South Korean Mirim Lee won the 2014 Reignwood event, following in the footsteps of China’s Feng Shanshan, the inaugural winner in 2013.
In a statement released by the Tour, LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said: “While we’re certainly disappointed that we will not be in Beijing this fall, we’re excited that Reignwood is committed to this wonderful international Reignwood LPGA Classic event for two more years.”
The cancellation means that after the Solheim Cup matches between the US and Europe on September 18-20 in Germany, the LPGA will have two weeks off before heading to Southeast Asia for the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia from October 8-11 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, a Golf Facility Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.