The PGA of Australia announced last Friday, that it had agreements in place with the China Golf Association, the Japan Golf Tour, the Korea Golf Association and the Korea PGA to launch a pilot 6-event Super Asia-Pacific tour this year.
The announcement met with an angry response from the well-established Asian Tour who said they had not been consulted about such a Tour in a region for which they had been responsible for professional golf for many years
Executive chairman of the Asian Tour Kyi Hla Han even went as far as to accuse the Australians of breaching the spirit of the game in attempting to invade the Asian Tour's established territory.
The Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), the official organising body of professional golf tournaments in Japan, clearly agreed and has now said it could not take part in the series this year without the Asian Tour being involved.
It said 2009 should be used to "create the conditions and environment which are conducive to JGTO's full involvement beginning with the 2010 season".
"JGTO feels there are many unsolved questions regarding the tour status of other members, the playing conditions of JGTO members, the marketing and broadcasting arrangements and contractual obligations each tour has with its sponsors, organisers, TV networks and promoters - and that is just to name a few.
"However, the most significant problem JGTO considers in relation to this series is the lack of involvement on the part of the Asian Tour, whose involvement is absolutely imperative and necessary ..."
The latest wobble for the Australian-driven super series initiative follows its attempt last year to launch a OneAsia tour, involving 35 events to rival the US PGA and European Tours.
The OneAsia Tour idea fell away when the Asian Tour, who already co-sanction at least half a dozen of its more than 30 annual tournaments with the European Tour, said it was not in favour.
Now the long-established and successful JGTO says the Asian Tour was still "the most vital entity for the promotion of this sport in this emerging region and we look forward to a unified cooperative relationship between all the parties concerned and will continue to play a major role toward achieving that goal," it said.
The Asian Tour's Kyi Hla has welcomed Japan siding with the Asian Tour.
"The JGTO clearly recognizes the Asian Tour as the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia," he told AFP today.
"I appreciate the JGTO for respecting the protocols and ethics which are required by all members of the International Federation of PGA Tours."
Kyi Hla said that in spite of their fall-out, his tour "is still willing to work with the PGA Tour of Australia to assist its ailing golf tour".
No comments:
Post a Comment
Don't forget to add Your Comment Here!