The 2020 ANNIKA Invitational Australasia has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 ANNIKA Invitational Australasia has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The second edition event was due to take place in New Zealand from 12-14 November 2020 at the Royal Wellington Golf Club in Wellington but will now be played from 11-13 November 2021 at the same venue.

The championship which was hosted by the world’s greatest female golfer Annika Sorenstam was started to support the growth and development of amateur golf for girls in the Asia Pacific region.

Dean Murphy, Chief Executive of New Zealand Golf said, “The large amount of planning and international travel associated with this event and with the huge uncertainty of our international borders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided it would not be appropriate to stage the championship this year.

“We would like to thank the ANNIKA Foundation and Royal Wellington Golf Club for its support and understanding in making this decision and we will now look forward to working with the club and the ANNIKA Foundation to stage the championship for the Asia Pacific’s top junior women amateur golfers next year.”

Annika Sorenstam said, “While we were looking forward to another exciting event in New Zealand, we value the safety of all involved and will work with New Zealand Golf, Royal Wellington and The R&A to stage a wonderful championship in 2021.”

In a further Blow for International Golf. The 2020 World Amateur Team Championships have been cancelled due to the continued uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The International Golf Federation (IGF) have recently announced both the Eisenhower Trophy and Espirito Santo Trophy originally scheduled to be held in Hong Kong will not be taking place this year.

This decision follows the IGF’s announcement in February that the biennial event for men and women, originally to be held in Hong Kong, was moving to Singapore due to ongoing social unrest in Hong Kong.

The IGF continued to work with the Singapore Golf Association (SGA) to host both competitions at Tanah Merah Country Club and Sentosa Golf Club on the same dates as planned. The Espirito Santo Trophy for women scheduled from October 14-17 and the Eisenhower Trophy for men from October 21-24.

Both events will not take place due to the global impact of Covid-19.

“This unprecedented decision was due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty that this has caused to ensuring that the 2020 WATC could be staged successfully,” said IGF Executive Director Antony Scanlon. “But most importantly, it was made to safeguard the health and safety of all athletes, officials and volunteers at the 2020 WATC, to which there was no certainty that this risk could be mitigated to an acceptable level.”

“I would also note that we gave thoughtful consideration to postponing the Championships to 2021,” Scanlon continued. “However, this would have created considerable scheduling and logistical issues that were insurmountable, plus we still could not say with absolute certainty that we could hold it without risk next year. Therefore, it is preferred that the IGF look forward to focusing on and delivering a wonderful 2022 event in France.”