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Asian PGA Releases Second Half Of 2003 Schedule Contact Simon Wilson KUALA LUMPUR (July 9, 2003) - The Asian PGA Tour will stage eight tournaments offering US$3.25 million in its homeward stretch, raising the total prizemoney for the season to US$9.13 million. Big-name players such as former world number one Nick Faldo and seven-time European Tour Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie are amongst the stars expected to help bring the curtain down on what is the Tour's ninth year. The Asian PGA announced today that the Mercuries Masters in Taiwan, to be played from September 11-14, will start the ball rolling for the second half of the season. Apart from shooting for the lucrative prize pots, the region's best players will also take aim at the prestigious Order of Merit crown. Ramlan Haron, Executive Director of the Asian PGA, said the total prize fund for this season will be the second highest the Tour has offered to its playing members since launching the circuit in 1995. "Like many others, the effects of the SARS outbreak in the region has hit our Tour but we are pleased to announce the second half schedule which will see eight top tournaments being played at some of the finest golf courses. We are also in the midst of negotiating with some big-name players to grace our tournaments," said Haron. Following the Mercuries Masters, one of Taiwan's premier events, the Asian PGA Tour will make traditional stops at some of Asia's finest national Opens as well as the Hero Honda Masters in India. The Kolon Cup Korean Open, Macau Open, Volvo China Open and Omega Hong Kong Open, an event jointly sanctioned with the European Tour, will precede the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia, the Asian PGA's Tour Championship to be held in Bangkok in December. The Nations Cup, a World Cup qualifying event sanctioned by the Asian PGA, will be played in September. The TCL Classic in China, staged for the first time last year, will be postponed to early 2004. "TCL requested for a six-month grace period following the declaration that China is SARS-free and will now instead stage the event in early 2004, and for the subsequent three years. We fully support their decision," said Haron. In addition, the Volvo China Open at Shanghai Silport Golf Club will be switched to later dates from its original slot of September 4-7 to November 13-16 following a request made by the international car and truck giants. The US$500,000 tournament will remain as a full-field Asian PGA event and limited to a maximum of 108 players due to lesser daylight during that period. Other omissions on the Tour schedule include the cancellation of the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea and BMW Asian Open in Taiwan, jointly sanctioned with the European Tour in the last two years, due to the respective title sponsors' review of their marketing objectives. Haron said that BMW are switching their focus to China and that discussions are currently taking place to hold a full-field Asian PGA Tour event in the Middle Kingdom in 2004. "We understand the need for our sponsors to review their marketing strategies and are delighted that BMW are looking at opportunities to hold a new event in China next year. The 2004 season has a very positive outlook, more so when it will mark the 10th anniversary of the Asian PGA." Asian PGA Tour Schedule (September to December) Sept 11-14, Mercuries Masters, US$300,000, Tamsui GCC, Taiwan * Joint-sanctioned with European Tour Asian PGA reserves the right to alter this schedule at its sole discretion. |