European Tour's Hong Kong Open POSTPONED due to violent unrest in city

European Tour will look to reschedule the tournament to early 2020...

Andy Roberts's picture
Wed, 20 Nov 2019
European Tour's Hong Kong Open POSTPONED due to violent unrest in city

The Hong Kong Open, which was scheduled to take place on the European Tour next week, has been postponed because of violent unrest in the city.

The tournament, won by England's Aaron Rai last year, was due to be staged at Hong Kong Golf Club from November 28 to December 1. 

Keith Pelley, CEO of the European Tour, and the Hong Kong Open made the decision to postpone the tournament in conjunction with the Asian Tour, and it is hoped the Tour can find space to reschedule the tournament for early 2020. 

According to reports, violent unrest has gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for close to six months. 

Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Patrick Reed, Henrik Stenson and Francesco Molinari were just five of the biggest names scheduled to play in Asia's second oldest golf tournament. 

"An attempt will be made to reschedule the tournament to early 2020," the European Tour and its co-sanctioning partner at the Asian Tour said in a joint statement.

"The decision has been taken due to the ongoing level of social unrest in Hong Kong," said European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.

"As the safety of our players, staff, stakeholders and everyone involved in each and every one of our tournaments around the world is our top priority, we feel this is the correct, but unfortunate, course of action."

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Pelley had earlier in the month revealed how the tournament would still go ahead as planned as the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling was away from the city centre where most of the clashes between protesters and the police had taken place. 

"It is regrettable that the Hong Kong Open has to be postponed due to the ongoing unrest in the city," said Asian Tour commissioner and CEO Cho Minn Thant.

"The unpredictability of the current situation in Hong Kong makes it very challenging to sanction the tournament especially with the safety of everyone of utmost importance.

"However, we are optimistic that once the situation in Hong Kong stabilises, we will be in a better position to sanction the 61st edition of the Hong Kong Open in the very near future."