Chinese-born LPGA players may skip April event sponsored by Korean company

Several Chinese-born players on the LPGA Tour may choose to skip competing in April’s LPGA Lotte Championship in Hawaii, a consequence of heightened diplomatic tensions between China and South Korea over a missile defense system.

Shanshan Feng was among those Chinese players who opted out of the event after she and three fellow Chinese players — Simin Feng, Jing Yan and Xiyu Lin — were told, according to Reuters, it would not be “in their best interests” to play in the event.

Lotte is a South Korean company and has sponsored this tournament for five years. The sixth playing of the event is scheduled for April 12-15. Australian Minjee Lee is defending champion.

A Reuters source said one of the four players was given this counsel from someone connected with China’s national athletics team, but Simin Feng directly and Shanshan Feng through her agent denied they were under pressure from Chinese government officials not to play.

“The four of us were talking about it a little bit because now it’s such a sensitive issue,” said Simin Feng, who is not certain if she’ll play in the event.

“I’m really for my country and with the politics nowadays, both countries are not at a very good situation.”

Lotte’s role in this controversy is that it approved a land swap with South Korean authorities to allow the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile defense system to be set up on the property of a golf course the company owns. Chinese officials responded to the move and the system build, meant to defend against threats from North Korea, by closing a number of Lotte retail stores in the country.

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.