Canadian Tour Pulls Out Of Mexico

According to an announcement from Canadian Tour headquarters in Oakville, Ontario, Commissioner Rick Janes has taken this action as a result of news from The World Health Organization which has said the swine flu outbreak in Mexico is moving closer to becoming a pandemic.

"It's clear that the virus is spreading and we don't see any evidence of this slowing down at this point," said WHO flu chief Keiji Fukuda at a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday.

He said the virus is approaching, but not quite at the fifth phase of pandemic alert -- a point where widespread human infection is apparent.

Late last night the Canadian Tour announced that the final two Mexican events on the Tour schedule over the next two weeks were postponed. Both the Yucatan Country Club Classic and the Iberostar Riviera Maya Open were being being rescheduled and would take place in consecutive weeks on the 2009 schedule.

"With the heightened alerts in Mexico, we have taken the precaution of protecting the health and safety of our members," said Janes on Tuesday. "The Iberostar Resort and the Merida airport will be shut down as a safeguard and the Canadian Tour is making the necessary arrangements with its travel partners to bring our players home."

The next event on the Canadian Tour calendar is now the Spring Qualifying School at Morningstar Golf Course in Parksville, British Columbia May 26-29.

The next two tournaments will be the $200,000 Times Colonist Open at Victoria's Uplands Golf Club on Vancouver Island June 4-7, followed by the inaugural $150,000 City of Surrey Invitational at Hazelmere Country Club. June 11-14.