Coronavirus wipes out LPGA golf swing in Asia

Golf's HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore and the LPGA Thailand were cancelled Monday because of the coronavirus outbreak, meaning the US LPGA Tour has been forced to scrap all three of its lucrative early-season events in Asia.

The World Championship, won last year by world number two Park Sung-hyun, is one of the most prestigious on the US LPGA Tour with the world's top 20 players and the previous year's major-winners all participating. The Tour had already announced 10 days ago the cancellation of China's Blue Bay LPGA from March 5-8 on the southern island of Hainan.

The three-event swing would have carried in excess of $5 million in prize money. The coronavirus outbreak has affected several other sports including football and athletics, mainly in China. "Due to the continued health concerns and recent advisories in some Asian countries that large-scale events should be cancelled or postponed as a result of the coronavirus, the LPGA and its partners have made the decision to cancel the 2020 Honda LPGA Thailand and the 2020 HSBC Women's World Championship," an LPGA Tour statement said.

An elite field of 66 were due to compete for a $1.5 million purse at Sentosa Golf Club from February 27 with defending champion and Park playing along with fellow South Korean Ko Jin-young, the world number one, and third-ranked Nelly Korda of the US.