The WGC-HSBC Champions faces cancellation in Shanghai

The PGA Tour and the China Golf Association canceled the WGC-HSBC Champions because COVID-19 restrictions in China made the event unviable. This decision follows orders for residents in parts of Shanghai and Beijing to undergo more rounds of testing. This cancellation marks the third straight season that logistical implications regarding the virus forced the tours to scrap the tournament. The event was scheduled to take place from October 27 to October 30 at Sheshan International Golf Club with a $10.5 million purse. The LPGA Tour also canceled its Shanghai-based event on Wednesday due to the same restrictions. Rory McIlroy was the last winner of the event in 2019. The tournament is Asia’s major, and its cancellation leaves the field in flux. The Butterfield Bermuda Championship, which was scheduled for the same week, will now proceed as a stand-alone event with an increased purse of $6.5 million and full FedEx Cup points. Last month, the PGA Tour moved the CJ Cup to Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, South Carolina, after playing it at Nine Bridges in South Korea and in Las Vegas during the previous two years. This tournament previously occupied Shadow Creek in 2020 and the Summit Club in 2021.

Player movements and field changes

Dustin Johnson will not defend his title in Shanghai. His manager, David Winkle, told GolfChannel.com that Johnson likely will not play again until next year after his fiancee, Paulina Gretzky, gives birth to their first child. While Johnson is hitting golf balls in south Florida and working out, he has not played since the RBC Canadian Open in late July. This follows an announcement in September that Johnson was taking an indefinite leave of absence for personal challenges. Johnson won last year’s WGC-HSBC Champions by three strokes over Ian Poulter. The winner of the WGC-HSBC Champions receives $1,745,000, while the runner-up receives $1,095,000. Ian Poulter earned a spot in the WGC field as the sixth alternate after Brandt Snedeker withdrew from the competition. Poulter previously made a dash from Orlando to New York to Hong Kong to finish 29th and satisfy the European Tour’s 13-tournament minimum for Ryder Cup eligibility. Rich Beem forfeited his sponsor exemption to make room in the field for Poulter. You should note that this field change happens while the professional golf landscape undergoes significant tension.

Ryder Cup points and membership rules

The DP World Tour will resume imposing heavy fines and suspensions on LIV Golf members in 2027, a policy that forces players to choose between the two leagues and could impact their status on the European Ryder Cup team for the 2027 event at Adare Manor in Ireland. For 2027 European Ryder Cup qualification, the selection includes the top six members on the Ryder Cup Points List as of August 22, 2027. The DP World Tour also excludes PGA Tour events from the points list if they occur in the same week as a DP World Tour Rolex Series tournament, though the Genesis Scottish Open is a notable exception. For 2026, the tournament points available for the Back 9 phase include 5,000 points for standard Back 9 events and 8,000 points for the BMW PGA Championship. Will the DP World Tour eventually find a way to reconcile these conflicting membership requirements? The winner of the Abu Dhabi Championship receives 1,500 points, which is more than double the 835 available to the winner of a normal Back 9 event. The winner of a Band 1 event receives 168 points. Players like Tyrrell Hatton, Laurie Canter, and Thomas Detry previously reached deals to play on both tours in 2026. The European team for the 2027 Ryder Cup will be chosen by Captain Luke Donald.