February 7, 2012  Print Email | Squabble over PGA tour continues
The Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour finds 2010 more feasible
Posted by Agencies at 06:12 AM GMT on Feb 23, 2009 | PERTH (AFP): The Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour have failed to resolve their differences with the PGA of Australia after talks about the controversial "super series" of Asia-Pacific golf tournaments.
Representatives from the three organisations met here during the Johnnie Walker Classic at The Vines Resort but little progess was made on reaching agreement over the planned series which is due to start this year.
Both the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour believe it is too soon to be involved and say 2010 is a more realistic timeline to launch the concept, which is aimed at creating a rival to the lucrative US PGA and European Tours.
Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han told AFP he felt the series had merit as the three tours naturally complemented each other, but said it had been too rushed.
"From our side, we want to make sure everything is clear cut before everything goes ahead," he said. Han added, "Right now, there are a lot of uncertainties we feel from our side, and as of now it really hasn't moved on anywhere. I think we all fundamentally believe it is not necessary to jump the gun. It is not like golf in going down in the region, we just want to make sure the whole structure and platform is properly in place before we actually look into it.”
"We feel like we haven't been given that opportunity to do so. We all like the concept, but there are a lot of mechanics and parameters, like field criterias, that need to be set and we feel that 2009 is too early."
The super series, which was launched by the Australian PGA and involves the China Golf Association, the Korea Golf Association and the Korea PGA, is due to begin with six elite tournaments.
It is scheduled to open with the China Open from April 16-19 and wind up with the Australian PGA Championship on December 10-13.
Kyi Hla added that he was disappointed with the conduct of the Australian PGA in approaching three events -- the Volvo China Open, Midea China Classic and Pine Valley Beijing Open, that had agreements with the Asian Tour.
However, he said he remained willing to continue discussions on the series and would closely watch the 2009 events to gauge their success and efficiency.
The PGA of Australia originally said it had the support of Japan when announcing the series, but Japan Tour vice chairman Yutaka Morohoshi denied his organisation had ever committed to 2009.
He told AFP he could see the benefits of the concept, but, like the Asian Tour, believed 2010 was a more realistic aim.
Morohoshi noted that the Japan Tour was a player-driven organisation and said the changing economic situation was another complicating factor.
"The economic situation is not really changing in a favourable way to our players, with the Japanese yen being so high against the Australian dollar, and the Australian tax threshold and being paid in Australian dollars, it is not very conducive to our players coming over here," he said.
"Those little things are all part of the overall picture and we have to consider all those things. We have to think about what is best for our players and at this point in time, we can afford to sit and watch. If the Australian Tour thinks this is the best way to expand, they need to take the initiative and be more accommodating,” Morohoshi said.
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