February 4, 2012  Print Email | Super series on track, say organisers
But Japan Tour won't participate
Posted by Agencies at 11:23 AM GMT on Mar 12, 2009 | SINGAPORE (AFP): The controversial "super series" of Asia-Pacific golf tournaments will launch in China next month as planned, organisers said today, as Japan questioned why it was being rushed.
 The One Asia Super Series is spearheaded by the Australian PGA, the China Golf Association, the Korea Golf Association and the Korea PGA, with its lofty aim being to rival the European and US Tours.
But it has incensed the Asian Tour and the Japan Tour, who claim there are too many unresolved issues and will not be taking part.
Despite few details being released about the inaugural China Open event from 16-19 April 16, PGA of Australia Tour commissioner Ben Sellenger said staff were working furiously behind the scenes to ensure everything was in place.
"Everything is going ahead as planned," he told AFP. "We have still got six elite tournaments. 2009 has always been a stepping stone, but we hope to announce at least two to three more events this year, which should go up to 15 next year and ultimately 25 plus a year."
He said an all-important television platform was in place for the first two events with negotiations ongoing to find a permanent partner.
Sellenger added that prize money would be variable this year but they were aiming for one million dollars per event benchmark, which he expects to grow significantly in years to come as more corporate sponsors come on board. "We don't want to create another Asian Tour, we want to do something bigger," he said.
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.
They have also been incensed that some of the announced events were previously sanctioned by the Asian Tour, while the Pine Valley Beijing Open was a co-sanctioned event with the Japan Tour.
Last year, Pine Valley featured 60 Japanese players but under the "super series", only six invitations have been issued, which has not gone down well.
"This tournament belongs to the Japan Tour, the Asian Tour and the China Golf Association," Japan Tour chief secretary Andy Yamanaka told AFP. "We don't know what is going on, we're confused."
Despite initially signing a memorandum of understanding to be part of OneAsia, Yamanaka made clear there was no chance they will be involved in 2009. "There is no way we are taking part this year, that is unchangeable," he said. "There are many unresolved matters that need to be clarified and some issues that we cannot accept. We still support the concept but at the moment all the PGA of Australia are doing is making people confused.
"We strongly feel that the Asian Tour's involvement is imperative. They should not start anything without full consensus. We don't understand why they are in such a hurry. We're disappointed."
|
|
| |
|