Next week’s Hero Indian Open – co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours – has been called off as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak

NEXT week’s Hero Indian Open has been postponed due to the ongoing threat posed by the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The decision was made following consultation between the Indian Golf Union, the tournament’s co-sanctioning partners – the European Tour and the Asian Tour – and the tournament title sponsor Hero MotoCorp.

The move came after the latest public health travel advice announced by the Indian government.

The Hero Indian Open was scheduled to take place from March 19-22 at DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram, New Delhi – Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher would have been the defending champion.

All parties are looking into the possibility of rescheduling the tournament at some point later in the year, but there are no definitive plans at this stage.

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: “In these difficult global circumstances, we fully understand and appreciate the recent restrictions introduced in respect of travel into India.

“As these new measures now prevent many members of both Tours being able to play in the tournament, everyone involved in the staging of the Hero Indian Open felt it was the correct decision to postpone the tournament.

“I would like to thank Dr Pawan Munjal and everyone at Hero MotoCorp in addition to the Indian Golf Union for their continued support, and we look forward to returning to India in due course.”

Cho Minn Thant, chief executive and commissioner of the Asian Tour, said: “With these new travel regulations now in place, there has been a significant impact on the ability of our members, officials and service teams of both Tours to make their entry into India for the tournament.

“We will continue to take advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and local health authorities – while monitoring the situation in relation to the possibility of rescheduling the event later in the year.”

European Tour players who are not in the world’s top 50 – and therefore exempt on the PGA Tour – now face a dearth of golf over the next two months.

There are no European Tour events scheduled for five weeks in a row – including the week of The Masters at Augusta (April 91-12) – starting from the World Golf Championship World Match Play Championship, in Austin, Texas, in the last week of March (25-29).

The next European Tour event is scheduled to be the Estrella Damm NA Andalucia Masters, at Valderrama, from April 30-May 3.

The original 2020 European Tour schedule comprised 44 events including the four Majors, plus the Ryder Cup against the USA at Whistlling Straits, in Wisconsin, in September.

•The women’s LPGA Tour called off two of its biggest events earlier in February – the Honda LPGA Thailand (February 20-23) and the HSBC Women’s World Championship a week later.

The LPGA announcement came on February 10 as the virus originally took hold in Asia and after it had already called off the Blue Bay LPGA in China – due to take place on Hainan Island, from March 5-8 – at the end of January.

MENA Tour called halt to season

Ryan Lumsden (right) celebrates his MENA TOUR victory in Jordan

The MENA Tour also abandoned their spring season after the first four events in 2020 – as the virus outbreak impacted on the golf world with other top sporting events also being cancelled around the world.

The United Arab Emirates-based MENA Tour – which holds a string of events across the Middle East for players working their way up to the European and Challenge Tours – announced the temporary halt to the season on social media last week.

It tweeted on March 5: “Unfortunately, due to the various travel issues caused by the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the MENA Tour by Arena has decided to postpone the remainder of our 2020 season to September-December.

“We will post the new schedule as soon as possible.”

In December, the MENA Tour, which was founded in 2011, announced 11 events played across five countries, including one in North Africa, during the first five months of 2020.

It announced the halt to play after the fourth event of the season – the Journey to Jordan No. 2, which was won by Royal Wimbledon’s Ryan Lumsden, at Ayla Golf Club, in Jordan.

In a statement since published on its website, the tour said: “We are monitoring the situation on a daily basis and we will be publishing the revised 2020 MENA Tour by Arena schedule on our website as soon as possible – all players will be informed of the revised schedule via email.”

The MENA Tour statement on Twitter last week after it cancelled seven events

Magical Kenya Open third event lost

THIS week’s Magical Kenya Open was cancelled by the European at the end of last week after a similar decision was made by the East African country’s government.

The Government of Kenya decided to postpone all meetings and conferences of an international nature in the country.

The Magical Kenyan Open became the third European Tour event of 2020 to be called off because of the Coronavirus crisis.

In the middle of February, the European and Asian Tour announced that April’s Maybank Championship in Malaysia, and the Volvo China Open, were being postponed because of the Coronavirus outbreak.

As in the case of India, Mr Pelley said the Tour would consider rescheduling the tournament later in the year, but admitted last week that the idea was only a possibility with no definitive plans in place.

The Kenyan Government said the suspension of international events would be reviewed after a month.

Italy’s Guido Miggliozi was due to defend his title in Kenya this week.

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The European Tour has called off next week’s Magical Kenya Open after talks with the African country’s government because of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

THE European Tour has cancelled its third tournament as the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) claimed the Magical Kenya Open as the latest sporting event to be cancelled.

The Government of Kenya announched its decision today (Friday) to postpone all meetings and conferences of an international nature in the country.

With the numbers of people infected with Coronavirus outside of China, continuing to grow daily, the Magical Kenya Open – presented by sponsors Absa – which was scheduled to take place at the Karen Country Club, in Nairobi, next week (March 12-15), will now not take place.

The European and Asian Tour announced that April’s Maybank Championship in Malaysia, and the Volvo China Open, were being postponed because of the Coronavirus outbreak, in the middle of February.

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: “We understand and totally respect the decision made by the Government of Kenya in these difficult times.

“We are looking into the possibility of rescheduling the tournament at some point later in the season, but that remains simply a possibility right now – we have no definitive plans at this stage.

“I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank president Uhuru Kenyatta and the Kenyan Government for their unwavering support, alongside Kenya Open Golf chairman Peter Kanyago and tournament director Patrick Obath for their strenuous efforts and commitment.

“We look forward to returning to Kenya in due course.”

The suspension of international events by the Kenyan government will be reviewed in a month’s time.

But with Pelley admitting it was only a possibility the Kenyan Open could rescheduled, European Tour players who are not in the world’s top 50 – and therefore exempt on the PGA Tour – face a dearth of golf over the next two months.

There are now no European Tour events scheduled for five weeks in a row – including the week of The Masters at Augusta (April 91-12) – starting from the World Golf Championship World Match Play Championship, in Austin, Texas, in the last week of March (25-29).

After this week’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, the next European Tour event is scheduled to be the Hero Indian Open, from March 19-22 – but then there is no tournament until the Estrella Damm NA Andalucia Masters, at Valderrama, from April 30-May 3.

The original 2020 European Tour schedule comprised 44 events including the four Majors, plus the Ryder Cup against the USA at Whistlling Straits, in Wisconsin, in September.

•To see the full European Tour schedule click here.

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Finland’s Mikko Korhonen – winner of the 2019 Volvo China Open, which has been postponed because of the Corona-virus threat, along with Malaysia’s Maybank Championship, in April. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

TWO European Tour events in Asia – scheduled to be played in April – have been postponed because of the health threat posed by the outbreak of the Corona-virus.

The Maybank Championship and the Volvo China Open have both been postponed following the outbreak in China in December, of what has now been named Covid-19 – by the World Heath Organisation – after the corona-virus spread to a number of different countries, including the UK, this month.

The European Tour and Asian Tour accepted a request from title sponsor and promoter Maybank to postpone the Maybank Championship – due to take place at Saujana Golf & Country Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – from April 16-19.

Meanwhile the decision to postpone the Volvo China Open scheduled for April 23-26, at Genzon Golf Club, in Shenzhen, was taken following consultations with the China Golf Association, Genzon Golf Club, the Shenzhen Government, title sponsor Volvo and promoters Mitime Golf.

Discussions are ongoing with all parties looking into the possibility of rescheduling both tournaments later this season.

European Tou chief executive Keith Pelley said: “The well-being of our players, spectators and staff is always our absolute priority.

“While it is therefore regrettable the Maybank Championship and Volvo China Open have been postponed, we feel this is the correct course of action at this time.

“We are currently investigating alternative dates for both events,” added Mr Pelley, whose members lower down the Race to Dubai rankings face a much harder task to retain their European Tour cards, if the two events are not able to be rescheduled later in the year.

Datuk Abdul Farid Alias, group president and chief executive of Maybank, said: “The decision to postpone the Maybank Championship was made after intense deliberation and careful consideration in the interest of all the players, visitors, working teams and partners.

“The postponement of the Maybank Championship was not an easy decision to make.

“However, the safety of all stakeholders takes precedence, and we want to ensure that any risk of possible exposure to Covid-19 is mitigated.

“We will monitor the situation and work closely with the European and Asian Tours, as well as our other partners, as we plan for our return in the future.”

•Last year’s Volvo China Open was won by Finland’s Mikko Korhonen. Australia’s Scott Hend would have been the defending champion in the Maybank Championship.

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A three-under par 69 at Malaysia’s Saujana Country Club gave Belgium’s Thomas Pieters a one-shot lead at the Maybank Championship with two rounds to go. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

BELGIUM’S Thomas Pieters will take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Maybank Championship after the golf course showed its teeth on Friday.

The big-hitting Belgian carded four birdies and a single bogey in his second round at Saujana Golf and Country Club to move to eight-under par.

Pieters said: “I struggled off the tee early on, at the end it was a lot better. It didn’t feel like a good day to me, I made the best of what I had.

“I gave myself a lot of chances but I couldn’t seem to get the ball in the hole.

“I birdied 16, the par three, it was a nice putt. But other than that I felt like I was missing putts all over.

“I tried not to over read the putt on 16. When you miss a couple of putts you try to read to much into it. I just put it down, looked once, and gave it a go.”

Apart from his struggle on the greens, the main talkling point of the week has been about Pieters unusual golf bag – which lacks a sponsor.

Pieters has turned it into an advertisement and revealed: “It was my idea.

“My brother has a creative company, but it was actually my idea. I thought, why not, it’s empty. I thought it was quite funny, and it got picked up this week. I think it was Jamie Gough that tweeted and a few people were talking about it.

“If Eddie Pepperell wants to put his face on it, I will happily take it.”

It had seemed Pieters and his fellow challengers might be fighting for second rather than top spot when overnight co-leader Nacho Elvira opened up a four-stroke lead over the chasing pack early in the afternoon.

But as the wind picked up, the Spaniard dropped three shots in two holes on the back nine to slip to seven-under, where he sits alongside Indonesia’s Danny Masrin in a tie for second place.

Nacho said: “I still feel like I’m playing solid. I struggled a bit on 14, I three-putted on 13. I had a really easy birdie chance then I three putted.

“Fourteen is a really tough hole, everybody knows it. The pin was tucked, I had a hard chip, anyway, double there and then three putted the next hole.

“Overall I’m happy. I’m hitting the ball fine, I’m putting myself in position to find the pins and I’m looking forward to the weekend.

“The tee shots feel like a dream. To be honest I’m picking up a little bit of confidence as the season goes on. I’m happy the way I’m hitting it right now.”

It’s a first appearance at this event – which is co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours – for four-time Major winner Ernie Els.

And after a second round 70 he sits at six-under alongside fellow South African Dean Burmester, American pair David Lipsky and Paul Peterson, Jazz Janewattananond, from Thailand, Germany’s Maximilian Kieffer and Australian Lucas Herbert.

Els said: “I think scoring conditions are a bit tougher than last year. I’ve never played here before but from what I’ve heard the guys usually make a lot of birdies.

“With the new greens the ball is releasing a bit and I kind of like that.  The last four years have been a real struggle, so I’m really happy that I’m playing good golf again.

“My body feels good and the ball striking is there now. On the greens I’m starting to feel really comfortable, so that means I can have a chance again to play with these guys.

“That’s what I want, to feel like I can have a chance playing Saturdays and Sundays and that’s kind of my goal.

“I’ve got to keep doing what I’m doing and eliminate the little mistakes.

“The one on 17 wasn’t very good. Got to try to get into the 60s and if you’re within three or four going into Sunday you’ve got a chance.

“Shubhankar showed that last year, coming out of the pack and winning.”

German Keiffer said: “I played really good today tee-to-green, hit a couple of wedges really close. I even had a few mid-range putts that just burned the edges, so really good.

“I played well here last year, played OK two years ago. You don’t need to be really straight off the tee but if you hit a wild one then it’s gone so that kind of suits me.

“The wind direction suits me better than last year because I can’t quite reach the par fives this year. The wedge game was very good today, so that was the key.

“I’m very happy with the way I’m playing. Since I started working with my new coach (Ian Holloway) last year, I’ve been steadily getting better.

“Just focus on the process, that’s all you can do, and it’s been working for me.”

•For live scoring in the third round of the Maybank Championship click here.

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Australia’s Marcus Fraser who shot a seven-under par 65 at Kuala Lumpur’s Saujana Golf and Country Club, to share the lead at the Maybank Championship with Spaniard Nacho Elvira. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

NACHO Elvira and former champion Marcus Fraser lead the way at the end of the first day of the Maybank Championship, following a remarkable morning of scoring at Kuala Lumpur’s Saujana Golf and County Club.

Australian Fraser, who won the first staging of the tournament in 2016 to seal his third European Tour title, and Spain’s four-time Challenge Tour winner Elvira, each carded eight birdies and a single bogey to get to seven-under par in Malaysia, on Thursday.

Fraser said: “I’ve been playing well having a hit at home but I haven’t played a whole lot of competitive golf.

“It was nice to go out and play well in a great tournament. It’s been a good day. I played steady all day and putted really well.

“The new greens here, well they’ve done a great job. Unfortunately, by no fault of their own, they were diseased and they lost them last year.

“Now they have rebuilt them and they are fantastic.  Unbelievable to be able to turn them around in 12 months.

“In the practice round the course was firm and bouncy and they have small undulating greens.

“With that combination you would think the scoring wouldn’t be as good. But it’s a great surface to putt on, not too much grain in the greens.”

Joint leader Elvira was pleased to fnally shoot a low number around Saujana. “To be honest seven-under is always good. With my record here not being too great, 65 is very good.

“It’s tough, it’s really humid. It’s not as hot in the morning but it’s really humid so it’s tough to stay hydrated.

“My caddie told me today that I hit 12 fairways. I have been hitting my irons good and putting great, I just needed to put the ball in play.

“I wasn’t able to do that the first few weeks (of the season) but I think I managed to do that in Qatar and also today.

“I’m happy the way things are going, happy to be turning around my golf game a little bit. We’ll see where that gets me.”

It had looked as though the early leaders efforts would be eclipsed when Angelo Que took full advantage of the newly-rebuilt greens at the Kuala Lumpur venue to make nine birdies and no bogeys in his opening 11 holes.

But the Filipino made back-to-back double bogeys at the 15th and 16th holes to fall from the top of the leaderboard.

Que finished his round with a birdie at the 18th to join Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Austrian Matthias Schwab in a tie for third, a single shot behind the leaders on six under par.

Que said: “I thought I was dreaming when I got to nine-under after 11 holes. But these things happen especially when you play well.

“You try not to think too much and get ahead of yourself by ignoring it and keep playing. But it sorts of plays on your mind too.

“I got unlucky on 15 where I hit the fairway but didn’t have a shot at the green.

“I got an unlucky lie and didn’t make up and down. It was the same story on the next hole.

“These things happen but lucky I still managed to make 10 birdies today. So, six-under is always a good score. I started off with a birdie and ended off with a birdie. So that’s nice.”

Belgian Thomas Pieters is another stroke back after his opening round of 67, one ahead of eight players at four-under, including four-time Major Champion Ernie Els, and his fellow South Africans Dean Burmester and Brandon Stone.

There is then a group of 11 players at three-under, while European Ryder Cup Captain Padraig Harrington made a steady return to action after four months out with a wrist injury, shooting a first round 70 to sit alongside 14 other players at two under par.

Harrington, who is returning after a broken bone in his wrist delayed his start ot the season, said: “I actually really enjoyed my day. I wish I was like that every day.

“Four months off, I was buzzing out there, really enjoying the battle of getting it done. I struggled so badly off the tee, so it was an interesting contest for me.

“There is substantial difference between playing a practice round and playing with a card in your hand.

“I really struggled with my swing but I haven’t forgotten how to play golf. I managed my way around the golf course.

“I worked hard for the score. Overall 70 is a well worked score.”

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Shubhankar Sharma is aiming to follow Justin Harding into the World’s top 50 when he defends his title this week. Picture courtesy of Maybank Championship

SHUBHANKAR Sharma is feeling relaxed about his Maybank Championship title defence, as the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year aims to build on a stellar debut season on the European Tour.

The 22 year old burst on to the scene with two early victories on the 2018 Race to Dubai, following up his maiden win at the Joburg Open with his biggest victory yet, coming from four shots back to take the title at Saujana Golf and Country Club.

With two trophies in his cabinet by early February, he cemented his status as Indian golf’s new rising star by playing in all four Major Championships and impressing on his World Golf Championships debut.

He famously lead the world-class WGC-Mexico Championship field by two shots going into the final round before posting an impressive top 10 finish.

Sharma said: “I have some very special memories from last year. It just feels like yesterday that I won here.

“I made that putt on 18 and was waiting in scorers for the rest of the field to finish.  It’s great to come back – it was my biggest win.

“I love the course here. I had a good finish the year before last when I finished top 10.

“I actually just love Malaysia as a country. I love the people and the heat doesn’t get to me, which is good.

“Hopefully I can draw on the good memories and play well this week.

“I definitely feel like I’ve become a better player from last year.

“Obviously I have more experience. I’ve played some of the biggest events in the world, I played in all of the Majors last year.

“In two of those Majors I was actually playing in front of Tiger, so the biggest crowds I have ever seen. It’s good that I’ve seen all of those situations.

“I’m much more relaxed now, but you don’t want to get too relaxed when you are playing. These are some of the best players in the world and you have to be 100 per cent.

“But I’ll definitely be more comfortable than I was last year playing in the marquee group.”

Sharma is joined in the field in this week’s co-sanctioned Maybank Championship by Jazz Janewattananond, another young player – who has impressed on both the European Tour and Asian Tour and has aspirations of challenging the best in the world in the near future.

The 23-year-old Thai claimed his third Asian Tour title at the Singapore Open in January to break into the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Jazz said: “I was fortunate to crack the top 100 this soon. It was always in the back of my mind to take the next step and get into the top 50.

“This is going to be a big week, if I can play good this week I have a chance of cracking the top 50 sooner.

“Seeing the likes of Justin Harding is very inspiring. We played a lot together last year. Now that he is in the top 50 he’ll have a better chance of getting into the Masters.

“To see someone close to you do that is very inspiring and it gives you a boost and confidence that you can do it too.

“I’m feeling really good. I had a couple of good finishes coming in to this week. It’s always nice to come back to Malaysia.

“I love this city, I love the skyline, I love the street food here. I’m enjoying myself out here and we’ll try to move that into the golf course as well.”

Janewattananond is aiming for a good finish this week to help propel him towards his next aim of following his friend and recent South Africa’s European Tour winner Justin Harding into the top 50.

Also teeing it up the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur this week are three-time Major winner and current European Ryder Cup Captain Padraig Harrington and his victorious predecessor Thomas Bjørn – as well as American Kurt Kitayama, who has emulated Sharma this year by racing to two European Tour victories in his rookie season.

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