Hong Kong Open postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic

(Reuters) - The Hong Kong Open will be postponed until next year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the organisers of the golf tournament said on Wednesday.

The event, which is organised by the European and Asian Tours, was due to be held at the Hong Kong Golf Club at the end of November.

"As with all tournaments, the safety and well-being of players, spectators and tournament personnel is our absolute priority," the organisers said in a statement.

"In view of the continuing restrictions in force due to Covid-19, organisers of the 2020 Hong Kong Open have made the decision to postpone the tournament until the new year and are reviewing suitable options for staging the event," they said, adding that another announcement would be made in "due course".

Last year's Hong Kong Open was also delayed due to anti-government protests and social unrest in Hong Kong. Australia's Wade Ormsby won that tournament which took place in January of this year.

(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa)