ISPS Handa Cup postponed to 2017

The ISPS Handa Cup will not be played at Palm-Aire County Club this November after Dr. Haruhisa Handa, a Japanese businessman, philanthropist and avid supporter of women’s professional golf and the Legends of the LPGA, elected to postpone the 2016 international competition. 

At Dr. Handa’s request, the event’s longtime title sponsor, the ISPS Handa Cup is being moved abroad to be contested outside of the United States for the first time in the event’s 10-year history. 

The event is expected to be played overseas in late spring or early summer of 2017. 

“While we are disappointed this premier event will not be played in America this year after all, we very much appreciate Dr. Handa’s continued support and respect his wishes to relocate this world-class event to an international venue,” Legends Tour CEO Jane Blalock said in a press release. 

“We were thrilled to stage our premier event in Sarasota last fall at Palm Aire Country Club,” added Blalock. “And we remain optimistic that The Legends Tour will return to this fantastic club, should the opportunity present itself in the future.”

Palm-Aire was the site of last year’s ISPS Handa Cup, which saw the American team pull out a thrilling 26-22 victory versus the World team. The club also set a new attendance record with nearly 4,000 spectators coming out to watch the two-day tournament. 

“On behalf of Palm Aire, I have to say while we are disappointed in the recent change of plans for the ISPS Handa Cup, we were proud to have hosted the premier event on The Legends Tour schedule,” Joe Rassett, General Manager and COO of Palm Aire Country Club, said in a press release.