When LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler gave players a first look at the 2026 tour schedule in late August, the Buick LPGA Shanghai was not listed. Instead, there was a placeholder that said “New Asia Event.”
The Buick LPGA Shanghai debuted in 2018 at Qizhong Garden Golf Club. Danielle Kang won the first two editions of the event before it was canceled for three consecutive years due to complications from the Covid-19 pandemic. China’s Ruoning Yin ran away from the field by six strokes in 2024, giving organizers a storybook finish.
This year’s steamy edition, won by No.1 Jeeno Thitikul, made headlines for the shocking conditions of the greens at Qizhong Garden, which were stressed due to extreme heat. Players were sent an email from the tour informing them of the green conditions on Oct. 3, prior to the start of the event.
The Buick is the first of five tournaments in Asia this fall, including the International Crown team event in South Korea as well as stops in Malaysia and Japan.
LPGA Chief Tour Business and Operations Officer Ricki Lasky told Golfweek the tour is still in active discussions finalizing next year’s schedule. The tour typically unveils its schedule to the public during the CME Group Tour Championship in mid-November.
“At the end of the day, we’re focused on three things: routing, courses, and purses — and those are the areas we’re committed to strengthening as we work on the 2026 schedule and beyond,” Lasky told Golfweek in a statement.
“There are still some moving parts, but we feel really good about the progress we’ve made, especially early in the year with more player-friendly routing and enhancements like the Fortinet Founders Cup’s move to Sharon Heights with an increased $3 million purse. We’re also clear-eyed about the opportunities to improve in the back half of the year. There’s still work ahead, but we’re on the right path and look forward to sharing the full picture of our 2026 schedule soon.”
Although the schedule that was shown during a players meeting at TPC Boston last August said “New Asia Event,” a source tells Golfweek that Buick isn’t yet out of the conversation.
As for a potential new stop, several sources have indicated Hong Kong as a strong possibility.
Thitikul’s victory ended a streak of no repeat winners in 2025. Now a two-time winner this season, the Thai player leads both the Rolex Player of the Year Race and Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average (68.95). She has finished in the top two in her last three starts.
