Important week for One Asia in Beijing
IN: News | by Bruce Young | 06 May 2008
Meetings this week in Beijing may go a long way towards determining the establishment or otherwise of the much vaunted One Asia Tour.
With the Pine Valley Beijing Open being played this week as a co-sanctioned event between the Japan Golf Tour and Asian Tours, the tournament offers the opportunity for the those two parties and other groups involved in the concept, including the PGA of Australia, to get together to air their respective views on the establishment of the One Asia or the Asia Pacific Tour concept.
With the recent rhetoric between the Asian Tour and the merged PGA of Australia, there is much to solve in order for this concept to move forward and this week in Beijing might just allow some of the differences to be aired and hopefully solved. Based on some of the comments made in recent press releases, the meetings will test the diplomatic skills of those involved to the limit.
In mid-March the parties involved in the One Asia concept released the a prepared statement which, in part, read;
“The Japan Golf Tour Organisation, the China Golf Association, the Korean Golf Association and the PGA of Australia (collectively “the Founding Parties”) have reached agreement to form a new regional tour aimed at providing the best possible platform to grow elite tournament professional golf through the region, and provide a much needed consolidated pathway for the development of the next generation of champion regional golfers.”
“There is currently no organisation that can fully and collectively represent the rights and benefits of national golf bodies and professional golfers in the Asia-Pacific region. In an effort to better promote the game of golf and take the game to a higher level in the Asia-Pacific Region, each of the Founding Tours believe it is necessary to found a single regional organisation that can truly represent the common rights and benefits of relevant local golf bodies and their members.”
“The new Tour, as yet to be named (but referred to as OneAsia), will seek to bring together the best tournaments conducted throughout Asia-Pacific to create an alternative elite career pathway for national organizations and their aspiring professional golfers in the region. Each of the existing Tours will continue, forming a consolidated pathway for professional tournament golf through the region.”
In response The Asian Tour released statement which again, in part, read as follows;
“Following a statement issued by the PGA of Australia recently in regards to plans for an Asia-Pacific golf tour, the Asian Tour unequivocally states that we are not endorsing or participating in this initiative.”
“Since the Asian Tour’s formation as a players’ organisation in 2004, the Asian Tour Schedule has expanded greatly where in 2008, we are poised to surpass 30 tournaments for the first time in Asian golf history and offer an unprecedented US$40 million in total prize money.”
“Elite and major golf tournaments already form the burgeoning Asian Tour Schedule and the Asian Tour firmly believe that we are on the correct pathway in developing, promoting and growing professional golf in Asia under the existing Tour structure.”
“The Asian Tour would like to state that we have been working very closely with the China Golf Association, Korea Golf Association and Japan Golf Tour Organisation that no fewer than eight tournaments on the 2008 Asian Tour Schedule will involve them as a sanctioning partner. We will continue to work closely with all the regional golf bodies for the betterment of golf.”
“Plans to launch this new Asia-Pacific golf tour are being driven aggressively by the PGA of Australia, whose Tour is diminishing, and the Asian Tour believes it does not serve the best interests and growth of professional golf in Asia.”
Now, on the surface, there appears a huge rift between the parties but according to the Tour Commissioner for the PGA of Australia, Ben Sellenger, last week, he has been in regular communication with the Asian Tour’s Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han and that the gap is not as great as many are suggesting.
Sellenger added that it is likely three or four events will get off the ground in 2009 with the full concept taking effect in 2010.
All parties will be represented in Beijing including Sellenger and Max Garske, the Chief Executive Officer of the PGA of Australia.
This week therefore may well offer a greater insight into the stance the respective parties have taken and whether or not the current gap between the Asian Tour and the One Asia group is insurmountable or just a hiccup.
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