Canberra Classic canned after losing major sponsor

There is also the faint hope Royal Canberra could host a one-day pro-am in February.

The Canberra Classic almost got cancelled last summer due to the poor condition of the course, but it went ahead with a cobbled-together 18 holes after the club had inadvertently poisoned their fairways.

But the loss of major sponsor ActewAGL proved a bridge too far and the tournament has dropped off the golfing landscape.

It's the second blow to the golfing summer after The Canberra Times revealed the cancellation of the Federal Amateur Open.

ALPG chief executive Karen Lunn said they were still hopeful the event could be revived in the future, but admitted once you lost it it was hard to bring back.

It would require another major sponsor to come on board.

The retirement of former ActewAGL boss Michael Costello led to the company pulling their support of the event.

Costello was a massive patron of Canberra women's sport.

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The Classic has already made one comeback, when it returned for 2018 and '19 following a five-year hiatus.

It was held for three straight years (2010-12) before Royal Canberra hosted the Women's Australian Open as part of Canberra's centenary in 2013.

They hosted a pro-am in 2009 before the Classic was born.

It brought some of the world's best golfers to Canberra, including four-time-major-winner Laura Davies and South Korean superstar Jiyai Shin.

"ActewAGL made a decision not to renew its title sponsorship, which was obviously really disappointing," Lunn said.

"It put us behind the eight ball to start with and then Royal Canberra had the issues they had with the course.

"They're trying to work out a plan to get the course back to a shipshape condition.

"Looking at everything as a big picture it was just in the too hard basket for next year.

"We've just decided to put it on the back burner. It doesn't mean we won't come back ... [but] we need someone to step up as our title sponsor."

Lunn said they were working on bringing a pro-am to the ACT this summer to maintain the presence of elite golf in Canberra.

"We're still keeping in touch with our sponsors and everything in Canberra and we might end up doing a one-day event down there next year," she said.

"We're talking to a few people about that. If that comes off that'd be great [and would] keep something in the region.

"With the 27 holes there we do have options to make a bespoke championship course.

"But we wouldn't be keen to do that again for a major championship and I don't think the club would either."

Royal Canberra didn't return The Canberra Times' calls.