The cyclone Alfred has put all of Australia on alert, particularly the city of Brisbane, which was set to host the Australian WPGA Championship from this Thursday. The city is bracing itself for the severe impact of a storm expected to hit with great force and intensity in the coming hours.
In light of such forecasts, the Ladies European Tour and Australasia LPGA, in collaboration with local authorities, have decided to suspend the tournament two days before its start, a decision with very few precedents.
The reality is that Sanctuary Golf Club, the tournament venue, is located in what is expected to be the epicentre of cyclone Alfred’s impact, and the authorities have chosen not to take any risks. Tournament cancelled.
According to forecasts, ‘Alfred’ is likely to veer towards the coast later today and could make landfall between the Gold and Sunshine coasts on Thursday. Almost all sporting events scheduled for this week have already been cancelled.
Authorities have announced that a natural disaster is imminent, the likes of which have not been seen in this area since another cyclone hit southeast Queensland over 70 years ago, in 1954.
Although the decision is understandable given the circumstances, this cyclone remains a setback for the players who have travelled a long way and will have to stay until next week’s Australian Women’s Classic. The players are waiting to see if there will be any compensation for the expenses incurred and the inability to earn points or money in the first tournament of a very costly tour. So far, there is no news.
Just a year ago, the Australian Women’s Classic was forced to be played over just 18 holes due to torrential rains that prevented play beyond the first round.
Official tournament statement:
After extensive consultation with all stakeholders, the Australian WPGA Championship 2025 and the Gold Coast Golf Festival have been cancelled due to the imminent impact of cyclone Alfred.
After monitoring weather forecasts and discussions with the Queensland Government, Gold Coast City Council, Mulpha Group, Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club, and the WPGA Tour of Australasia, we have made the unprecedented decision to cancel the tournament before the first scheduled day of play on Thursday.
With forecasts of heavy rain, extreme winds, and flooding, the decision has been made to ensure the safety of players, staff, fans, and all stakeholders, which remains the priority.
Although extremely disappointed, all stakeholders are now looking towards 2026 with the tournament project already underway to ensure we have an exciting Australian WPGA Championship and Gold Coast Golf Festival.
