‘Bout time. Maybe this end of the world will start to hold it’s head up again.

Have to agree Tim, Oz tour was treading water and sinking fast.

Can’t wait till it gets going.

Would it result in more top-line pro events in Australia?

What….seriously..you guys think those in Asia give a shit about the Australian Tour…?

They do not give a flying “f”. It’s all blushy blushy and hanky panky with Asian tour officials, but do they really give a shit about what Australia has to offer?

We are better trying to retain links to the US and Europe and use those tours, like many of our guys have, as a pathway…

look at Moonah…top marks for the promotor and well done. It gave blokes like Porter another start.

Keep IMG out of it for a start as their track record in retaining events is terrible, but we can run events well in our own back yard without Asia.

I fail to see what Asia can give us..other than higher interest rates with their continual demand for our minerals…lot of good that’s done us in the eastern states, as the west enjoys boom times, and yobs over there spend like there’s no tomorrow, we in the east suffer with interest rate hits after hit.

Same disaster…there is argument we are better going alone and trying to keep links with the US and European Tours, not jump into bed with Asia

I fail to see what Asia can give us..

Here’s a hot tip. How about sponsors who can afford to put up purses that will attract players that have names the average Joe knows. You want to see Tiger here anytime soon???

The Main US Tour couldn’t give 2 sh!ts about anywhere except for the USA. Better get used to that reality.

Doggy and others

It might just be that the Asian Tour does not see what the whole concept of Asia One can do for them. Here is their response to statement this afternoon to the earlier media release by the Australasian, Japan, China and Korean Tours

Asian Tour Statement

Kyi Hla Han
Executive Chairman
Asian Tour

I fail to see what Asia can give us..

Here’s a hot tip. How about sponsors who can afford to put up purses that will attract players that have names the average Joe knows. You want to see Tiger here anytime soon???

The Main US Tour couldn’t give 2 sh!ts about anywhere except for the USA. Better get used to that reality.

Home on The Range

Name one Asian sponsor who’s prepared to put and back an Aussie golf tournament?

Pronton at the NSW Open was the last and how long did they last?

You better get used to reality!

Last time Tiger came close to Aust, it cost the promotor millions….our players are good enough to attract sponsors….

Better than some name like Young-jo-Lee, currently 10 on the Asian Tour list

Doggy-please has a point and Bruce..
top post…reality at its best!

Bruce

excellent post…

highlights exactly their lack of appreciation as to what we have and can continue to achieve locally.

Was it a former Australian Labor Prime Minister that once said, “Asia is the place you fly over on the way to Europe”! How true.

Very short sighted response from our northern neibours, then again, one that we sould not be surprised to hear. It appears they only care about themselves.

So much for GA giving some Asian players a start at the Aust Open…waste of space that was.

Asia?

Hot, over rated and over populated…that’s about it. As for their ‘Tour’, they can have it..

otherwise known as the World’s best “R&T” tour…...with a happy ending!

Doggy – I think it is important to remember that those starts given by the PGA and GA at the PGA and the Open were given to individuals from tours who were generally sympathetic to the concept of a OneAsia i.e Korea and Japan.

That gesture had little to do with the Asian Tour as a body.

Let’s wait & see how long it is before an Asian event is held here in Qld “for Asian viewers only” with no locals…

Doggy and others

It might just be that the Asian Tour does not see what the whole concept of Asia One can do for them. Here is their response to statement this afternoon to the earlier media release by the Australasian, Japan, China and Korean Tours

Asian Tour Statement

Following a statement issued by the PGA of Australia this morning 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.

As a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours, the Asian Tour is the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia and has governed with great success the interests and growth of professional golf in the Asian region.

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.

The Asian Tour was established in 2004 as a players’ organisation and the Tour’s structure now enables our players to gain control of their careers and future. The existing model creates a level playing field for all promoters, sponsors and event organisers to be involved with the game and the Asian Tour believes this will maximise the growth of the professional game across Asia.

Our membership have also met on several occasions over the past few months to deliberate on this proposal for an Asia-Pacific golf tour and have unanimously provided their backing for the Asian Tour to distance ourselves from this initiative.

Thank you.

Kyi Hla Han
Executive Chairman
Asian Tour

Gee…. that’s the reality of it all hey Bruce. Good luck to em.

That article shows you exactly how the Asian Tour feel towards the Australasian Tour.

The positive is Australia, Japan and Korea are the strongest golfing nations in the Asia/Oceania region. Japanese and Korean golfers/tourists are very important to the golfing economy here in Aus and close ties between the countries should be worked upon.

A very competitive and strong Asia-Pacific Tour still could be formed, but without the Asian Tour it will never reach dizzying heights.

One other little point worth noting: in the Aus Tours media release it stated they were working with the Korean Golf Association. The KGA don’t actually run the Korean Tour, just the Korean Open and a couple other events. The Korean PGA (Korean Professional Golfers Association) run the Korean Tour. I guess they will continue to do their own thing.