Golf-European and Asian tours in new move to strengthen bond (Reuters)
July 9, 2009
By Tony Jimenez
LOCH LOMOND, Scotland, July 9 (Reuters) – The European andAsian tours, who established their first co-sanctionedtournament in Malaysia in 1999, have formed a new joint venturecompany in a bid to strengthen their bond.
EurAsia Golf, which will have representatives from bothtours serving on the board of directors, is to act as a point ofcontact for tournament promoters for all co-sanctioned events.
“This alliance will at a vital time in terms of the globaleconomic climate enable us to focus attention on golf as thepreferred sponsorship vehicle for international companies,”Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han said in a news releaseon Thursday.
European Tour chief executive George O’Grady also saidEurAsia Golf would benefit the sport on the two continents.
“This alliance is born out of a 10-year working relationshipbetween both tours during which we have reached understanding ontournament field eligibility, suitable scheduling oftournaments, excellent venues, TV production and distribution,and prize funds,” said O’Grady.
There have so far been 56 co-sanctioned tournaments withprize money of 79,633,379 euros ($110.8 million) across China,Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar,Singapore and Chinese Taipei.
Han said the latest initiative would help Asian players tofurther boost their profiles on the world stage.
(Editing by Nigel Hunt. To query or comment on this storyemail sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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