Taiwan Masters golf 2020 cancelled due to COVID-19

The long-standing Mercuries Taiwan Masters, one of the favourite tournaments of Indian golfers, has been cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Taiwan Masters was originally scheduled to be held at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club from September 17-20.  

The Indian golfers have had a great relationship with events in Taiwan as four players have tasted success there. 

The first was Gaurav Ghei, who won the Mercuries Masters in 2006 and it was the second of his three Asian Tour wins after the 1995 Gadgil Western Masters in New Delhi, where he pipped compatriot Rahil Gangjee for the title. 

Ghei's third win came a year later at Pine Valley Masters in Beijing in 2007.

Gaganjeet Bhullar won the Yeangder TPC in 2012, while Shiv Kapur won the Yeangder Heritage in April, 2017. In the same year in October, Ajeetesh Sandhu won his first and only Asian Tour title at Yeangder TPC.

"What a pity, the event will not be held this year," said Ghei. 

"Taiwan has always been a great place for golf and Indians have done well."

The decision to cancel the Mercuries Taiwan Masters was based on health and safety concerns as well as international travel restrictions on players living outside Chinese Taipei. 

The tournament will now be staged in 2021 in its traditional time slot.

The Mercuries Taiwan Masters was inaugurated in 1987 and has been held annually on the Asian Tour from 2004.

It was announced earlier this year that the total prize purse for the Mercuries Taiwan Masters will be increased to USD 950,000 from USD 900,000. 

The event enjoyed an increase of USD 50,000 to USD 850,000 in 2018, before another USD 50,000 rise in 2019 took its prize purse to USD 900,000.

Last year, Thailand's Suradit Yongcharoenchai clinched his Asian Tour breakthrough title at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters with a one-shot victory, while local veteran Lu Wen-teh remains the only champion to have successfully defended his title in 2008. 

Lu also holds the record for most wins in the event with four in 1994, 1996, 2007 and 2008.

Image credits: AP