IMG, which owns the tournament, will not stage the event set to be held from 23-25 October after the agency was unable to find a sponsor to cover the $1.9 million purse, according to SportsBusiness Daily. China Air sponsored last year’s inaugural tournament, which had a $1.8 million purse.
In July the Kapalua LPGA Classic, also scheduled for October, was cancelled after organisers in Hawaii pulled out of their contract to host the annual event through to 2012. The LPGA now has just 14 events on its 2010 schedule after beginning the year with 31 tournaments.
"The IMG-managed China LPGA tournament, originally scheduled for mid-October, will not be staged in 2009 and we are now focusing our efforts on ensuring the event's return to China in 2010 and 2011," said a joint IMG-LPGA announcement.
"We look forward to the second half of the 2009 LPGA Tour season, which will include two IMG-managed LPGA Tour events, the Samsung World Championship (Sept. 17-20) and the LPGA Tour Championship (Nov. 19-22)."
SportsBusiness Daily also reported that a new course to replace Hainan West Golf Club has not been located by the LPGA or IMG.
