Chinese players on the elite US professional women’s golf tour have pulled out of this week’s tournament in Taiwan at the 11th hour, after being told by someone “high up” in China to skip the event, sources familiar with the situation told reporters.
They said world No. 9 Feng Shanshan (馮珊珊) and rookie Liu Yu (劉鈺) were told during last weekend’s event in Shanghai that they should not play in the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship, which starts in Taipei tomorrow.
Sometimes the ill-feeling between China and Taiwan engulfs sporting events.
Photo: STR / AFP / China OUT
In July, China blamed “independence activists” for the cancelation of the East Asian Youth Games in Taichung, shrugging off Taipei’s accusation that Beijing’s “political bullying” was behind the revocation of its right to host the Games.
It is unclear who told Feng and Liu, the only two Chinese golfers confirmed for the event in Taiwan, not to attend, but, barring injury, it is highly unusual for players to withdraw at such a late stage.
One source at the tournament said officials there had no plans to fine the players for withdrawing so late in the day, “given the circumstances.”
A media officer for the LPGA at the tournament said he was aware that the two players had pulled out, but did not elaborate on the reason.
Until Monday, Feng’s and Liu’s picture profiles figured on the tournament’s official Web site and the LPGA had listed their names in the “final field,” but by yesterday, both profiles were gone from the Web site.
Ruby Chen (陳曉露), Feng and Liu’s agent, yesterday said that the golfers would not attend the event in Taiwan, but declined to comment why they were withdrawing, while denying that any pressure had been put on them to do so.
Contacted by reporters for comment, China’s General Administration of Sports said it had no idea about the incident and referred queries to the golf association.
The China Golf Association did not answer several telephone calls seeking comment.
This is the second time Rio Olympic bronze medalist Feng has skipped an event on the LPGA Tour due to outside pressure.
In March last year, she was told it was “in her best interests” not to take part in an event sponsored by South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group as a diplomatic row between Beijing and Seoul over a missile defense system spilled into sports.
Feng played in the Fubon Taiwan Championship from 2014 to 2016 after skipping Taiwan-based tournaments from 2011 to 2013.
Feng usually made the decision about whether to play in the event based on her schedule, Chen said.
“Next week’s tournament she won’t attend,” Chen added. “However, in the past there have also been times she hasn’t attended this Taiwan tournament.”
“Sometimes she attends, sometimes she doesn’t. This year she won’t attend,” he said.
Howard Liu, the foundation’s tournament operation director, confirmed that two players from China had applied to withdraw from the event in Taiwan, adding that the reason was unclear.
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