Australian WPGA Championship Cancelled Ahead Of Gold Coast Cyclone

The Australian WPGA Championship has been cancelled because of the threat posed by a tropical cyclone heading to the country’s Gold Coast.

The event, which was the centerpiece of the Gold Coast Festival of Golf, had been due to take place at Queensland’s Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club between March 6-9. However, the arrival of Cyclone Alfred to the area is expected to bring high rainfall, extreme winds and flooding, which led to the decision taken by stakeholders, including the Queensland Government and WPGA Tour of Australasia.

The field had included a combination of players from the WPGA Tour of Australasia and the LET, including headliner, the former Australian Women’s Amateur champion and six-time pro winner Grace Kim. However, the safety of the golfers, staff, fans and stakeholders was a priority, hence the decision not to go ahead with the tournament.

Cyclone Alfred is a rare Category 2 storm that is on course to affect southeast Queensland, where the Adam Scott-affiliated Sanctuary Cove is located. Northern New South Wales is also in the danger zone, with landfall expected on Friday. Ahead of its arrival, residents in flood-prone suburbs of Brisbane, less than an hour’s drive north of the course, have been urged to evacuate.

The decision to cancel the $350,000 tournament has raised another issue - namely, where the field, which includes around 80 from the Europe-based circuit, will practice ahead of next week’s Australian Women’s Classic, which is due to take place in New South Wales, further south of the cyclone’s path.

One of the LET players affected is English pro Meghan MacLaren, who explained on X that she had to travel 12 hours from the area to prepare for next week’s tournament.

In a post published on Tuesday, she wrote: “Instead of playing another practice round yesterday we drove 12 hours away from the area, back to where I was last week, where we can stay and practice again for the rest of the week. Then we’ll drive 9 hours back the other direction again on Sunday ready for next week’s event.”

MacLaren also detailed how flying was out of the question considering the complexity of making the arrangements and expense involved.

She continued: “Obviously would have been nicer to fly, but logistically that would have meant a lot of things to sort out… finding a suitable flight in time (£££), returning rental car (losing £££), booking a new car after flying (£££), and then deciding whether to drive or book a flight and car for next weeks event.

MacLaren also confirmed that the circuit “provided several courses outside of the area affected where players could potentially travel to and practice.”

Per the LET, that came about when the PGA of Australia offered assistance with a list of 10 clubs and PGA professionals in New South Wales rallying round to assist as a potential temporary home base.

PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman explained: “When I spoke with the playing group around the cancellation of the Australian WPGA Championship, I mentioned that we are a member organisation and that our PGA members would support visiting golf professionals.

“We wanted to ensure the players, especially internationals, felt safe during what is set to be a challenging, uncertain period and that while in Australia they are considered part of our PGA and WPGA family alongside the more than 3,000 members.”