LONDON (AFP) - Justin Rose and his wife Kate are sponsoring a series of women's golf tournaments for British professionals starting later this month.

There will be seven events on the Rose Ladies Series, including one at Royal St George's, which was due to have staged the men's British Open next month before it was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Rose, the 2013 US Open champion and Rio Olympic gold medallist, would be contributing £35,000 (S$61,700) towards the prize pot.

Each of the tournaments will be played behind closed doors with coverage on Sky.

While all major sport has been shut down by the global spread of Covid-19, there are concerns that women's sport, with smaller revenues, could take longer to return.

Rose himself is set to be back in action at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas on Thursday (June 11).

The US-based LPGA Tour is not scheduled to return until next month and the Ladies European Tour has nothing on its schedule until August.

"I am keenly aware that I now have the opportunity to go back to work and compete on the PGA Tour but this is not the same for the ladies and some junior tours as well," the former world No. 1 told the Telegraph.

"I am sad that the Ladies European Tour has been suffering so badly. To me this seems somewhat unfair. My wife Kate and I felt there was an opportunity to step up and help."

The series will start with a one-day event on June 18.