The LPGA of Japan Tour will hold its season-opening tournament as scheduled in March but without fans due to the current coronavirus outbreak, the tour said Wednesday.
The Daikin Orchid Ladies, set for March 5 to 8, at Ryukyu Golf Club in Okinawa Prefecture, will be played entirely without fans, while the March 4 pro-am event has been cancelled.
Individual rounds have been played behind closed doors in the past, most recently at a tournament in Shizuoka last October as Typhoon Hagibis approached. However, it is unprecedented for an entire tournament to be played without fans.
"It is to ensure the safety of the gallery, the players and volunteers," said an organizer.