World No. 9 Shanshan Feng is one of the Chinese golfers that dropped out of the Taiwan event. GETTY IMAGES
Sources said that Chinese players on the LPGA Tour "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, according to Peter Rutherford of REUTERS. Sources said that world No. 9 Shanshan Feng and rookie Yu Liu were told during last weekend's event in Shanghai that "they should not play" in the LPGA Taiwan Championship, which starts in Taipei on Thursday. China, which views self-ruled Taiwan as a "wayward province," has "ramped up pressure to assert its sovereignty." Ties have deteriorated since '16, when Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen of the "independence-leaning" Democratic Progressive Party came to power. 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 that 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 that he was "aware the two players had pulled out, but did not elaborate on the reason." The General Administration of Sport of China said that it had "no idea about the incident and referred queries to the golf association." The China Golf Association "did not answer several telephone calls to seek comment" (REUTERS, 10/23).
