UPDATE 1-Golf-Ryder Cup postponed due to coronavirus

(Adds details)

July 8 (Reuters) - This year's Ryder Cup, which was scheduled to be held in late September in Wisconsin, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organisers said on Wednesday.

The hotly-contested biennial team competition between the United States and Europe, known for its raucous, partisan crowds, was originally scheduled for Sept. 25-27 at Whistling Straits.

Organisers said medical experts and public authorities in Wisconsin were not able to provide certainty that conducting an event responsibly with thousands of spectators in September would be possible.

"As disappointing as this is, our mandate to do all we can to safeguard public health is what matters most," PGA of America Chief Executive Seth Waugh said in a statement.

"The spectators who support both the U.S. and European sides are what make the Ryder Cup such a unique and compelling event and playing without them was not a realistic option."

The Ryder Cup is the latest event on a ravaged golf calendar to be hit by the coronavirus outbreak, which already forced three of the sport's four majors to be postponed while the British Open was cancelled.

Team Europe, which has won four of the last five Ryder Cup events, previously named Padraig Harrington as their captain while the American team will be led by Steve Stricker in his home state of Wisconsin. (Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto Editing by Christian Radnedge)