Tiger Woods to play Australian Masters
BY iseekgolf.com | Australasian PGA Tour | 2009 Australian Masters | General | 19 Mar 2009
Victorian Premier John Brumby has announced that world number one Tiger Woods has agreed to play at the Australian Masters at Kingston Heath in Melbourne this November, marking his first time on Australian soil since the Presidents Cup 1997.
News of Woods’ rumoured visit Down Under first surfaced in December last year, with most of the focus on his potential appearance fee following a controversial trip to New Zealand in 2001 which set back the organisers to the tune of $4 million.
Premier Brumby confirmed Woods will be paid his standard fee for any appearance outside of the US, US$3 million (AUD$4.5 million), with half of that bill to be footed by the Victorian taxpayers. In turn Woods’ appearance is expected to generate close to $20 million dollars in economic benefits to the state through tourism and worldwide exposure via the TV coverage.
Woods’ appearance has also been publicly backed by some of Australia’s biggest golfing names with many excited at the prospect of the huge galleries that always accompany an appearance by the world number one.
The Australian Masters will be played from the 12th -15th November 2009 at Kingston Heath in Melbourne’s south-east.
