Indian Open golf cancelled due to COVID, once again
The golf event, co-sanctioned by the European and the Asian Tour, was called off last year as well.
The Indian Open has been cancelled for the second year in a row due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The event, co-sanctioned by the European and the Asian Tour, was to be held from October 28 to 31 at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon, Haryana.
But with the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the country, the organisers were forced to call off the event for the second year running. The event is hosted by the Indian Golf Union.
“The European Tour today confirms that the Hero Indian Open, scheduled to take place from October 28-31, has been cancelled due to the ongoing threat in the country posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the European Tour said in a statement.
“With the safety of everyone involved in the tournament being the main priority and travel to and from India remaining challenging, the decision has been taken following consultation with the Indian Golf Union, the Asian Tour and the tournament title sponsor Hero MotoCorp Ltd,” the statement added.
The Indian Open was first played in 1964. In the last edition in 2019, Stephen Gallacher became the first Scotsman to win the title.
Though the PGA and the European Tour resumed in the western world late last year post the pandemic-induced break, the Tours had to cancel all of their events in South Asia, South East and Far East Asia.
The varying severity of the pandemic in different parts of the world and various travel restrictions have made it difficult for the organisers to go forward with all planned events.