Asian Tour blasts PGA of Australia

Eurosport - Sun, 25 Jan 08:48:00 2009

Asian golf officials have blasted plans to form a new Asian-Pacific 'super series', claiming that the project is an attempt to hijack its events.

GOLF 2008 World Cup of Golf Australia's Richard Green and Brendan Jones - 0

The PGA of Australia's announcement that the region's biggest tours had signed up for the scheme drew a sharp response from the Asian Tour.

"The Asian Tour strongly condemns the actions of PGA of Australia in its announcement," a statement from the organisation signed by executive chairman Kyi Hla Han read.

The Asian Tour have accused the professional tours of Australia, China and South Korea of trying to muscle in on its turf.

The series will be launched this year with six events but will be extended in 2010.

"The Asian Tour is shocked and disapproves of this desperate attempt by the PGA of Australia to revive its flagging domestic circuit," continued the release.

"(They) have simply renamed the 'OneAsia' concept and are making a weak attempt to build on their few remaining events by including existing events on the Asian Tour.

"They have not brought any new sponsor or events to the table in this initiative. This new series has also not been endorsed by the International Federation of PGA Tours."

The inaugural series begins at the China Open in April and ends with the Australian PGA Championship in December.

However, the Asian Tour claimed they had contracts in place with the China Open and two other tournaments to be played in the country also included on the super-series calendar.

"Dates for three of the events that it announced on its purported six-event schedule...have agreements in place with the Asian Tour," it said.

"All three events have been part of the Asian Tour for several years."

Han's statement also claimed that Japan's JGTO Tour had insisted their support of any such series depended on the Asian Tour's formal approval and involvement.

"The PGA of Australia has violated the protocols which govern the International Federation of PGA Tours," the Asian Tour added.

"We are extremely disappointed with the manner in which the PGA of Australia continues to act. Its actions are against the spirit of the game."

Reuters

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  1. Come on boys stop squabbling like children! First to swallow a witchety gwub wins

    From The Trout, on Mon 26 Jan 3:36PM
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