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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
TOM DUTTON

The Players Championship cancelled as PGA halts all events until The Masters in April

The PGA Tour’s Players Championship is the latest sporting event to be cancelled over fears surrounding the coronavirus.

Players completed the first round on Thursday, while the last three rounds were set to go ahead behind closed doors.

But organisers have now gone a step further and abandoned the tournament altogether.

The next three weeks of PGA Tour events have also been cancelled.

"We did everything possible to create a safe environment for our players in order to continue the event throughout the weekend, and we were endeavouring to give our fans a much-needed respite from the current climate," the PGA Tour said in a statement.

"But at this point - and as the situation continues to rapidly change - the right thing to do for our players and our fans is to pause."

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama was the first-round leader after a superb nine-under 63, which put him two shots in front of a three-way tie for second.

Graeme McDowell shot a four-under-par 68, while fellow Northern Irishman and defending champion Rory McIlroy carded a 72.

In women's golf, the ANA Inspiration, the first major of the year, is among five tournaments to be cancelled.

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