Golf-Asian Tour set to resume after 18 months

file photo: REUTERS

(Reuters) - The Asian Tour is set to return from an 18-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic after the golf circuit said on Tuesday it will stage two tournaments in Thailand before the end of the year.

The Tour, which stopped play in March 2020, will hold the Blue Canyon Championship from Nov. 25-28 and the Laguna Phuket Championship from Dec. 2-5.

It said it is also planning two more tournaments in Singapore in January, which will mark the end of the 2020-21 schedule.

Results from those four events, as well as four tournaments played in early 2020, will make up the 2020-21 schedule and determine the Order of Merit winner.

"After a difficult 18 months the Asian Tour is thrilled to announce that it is able to restart in Q4 of 2021," said Cho Minn Thant, commissioner and chief executive officer of the Tour.

"The Asian Tour have been working around the clock to resume competition and crown the Merit list champion ‒ a challenge made more difficult by our reach across many countries and each of their COVID-related protocols.

"We are confident of being able to complete our season despite several remaining challenges created by the pandemic."

All players will have to be fully vaccinated to compete at the events, which will be played in tournament bubbles and adhere to local government standard operating procedures.

Australian Wade Ormsby leads the Order of Merit after winning the Hong Kong Open in January 2020.

(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)