Hong Kong Open golf postponed as protests grip city

Next week's Hong Kong Open, one of the biggest golf tournaments in Asia, was postponed on Wednesday following months of anti-government protests in the city.

"Regretfully the European Tour, in conjunction with our tournament co-sanctioning partner at the Asian Tour, has taken the decision to postpone next week's Hong Kong Open," a European Tour statement said.

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said he hoped the event, whose winners include Rory McIlroy, Colin Montgomerie and Peter Thomson, could be rescheduled for early next year.

"The decision has been taken due to the ongoing level of social unrest in Hong Kong," Pelley said.

"As the safety of our players, staff, stakeholders and everyone involved in each and every one of our tournaments around the world is our top priority, we feel this is the correct, but unfortunate, course of action."