SHANGHAI • Next month's World Golf Championship-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, won last year by Rory McIlroy, has been axed because of the coronavirus pandemic, wiping out this year's Asian swing of the PGA Tour.

The event, which last year had the largest prize fund of any tournament outside the US or Majors at US$10.25 million (S$13.95 million), is co-sanctioned by the PGA, European and Asian Tours.

It had been scheduled to take place from Oct 29 to Nov 1 at the Sheshan International Golf Club and was the final stop on the PGA's Tour's US$29.75 million, three-event Asian swing.

But the pandemic has laid waste to the highlight of the Asian golf calendar, with South Korea's CJ Cup and Japan's Zozo Championship relocated to courses in the US.

All international sports events in China have been cancelled for at least the rest of this year because of the Covid-19 crisis.

"We've worked extensively with all tours, international officials, the China Golf Association and other local parties to find a solution to host the WGC-HSBC Champions," said Ty Votaw, the PGA Tour's vice-president of international operations.

"In line with Chinese government guidelines and being mindful of the logistical implications, we collectively made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 event."

On Tuesday, the US$9.75 million Zozo event, which was launched last year and memorably won by Tiger Woods for a record-equalling 82nd PGA Tour victory, was moved to Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California. It will be held from Oct 22-25.

The CJ Cup, which has the same prize fund as its Japanese counterpart and was won by Justin Thomas last year, will be staged in Las Vegas from Oct 15-18 rather than its usual locale of Jeju Island. Both tournaments will be held behind closed doors.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE