Expanding Horizons
Ensuring a busy schedule all the way to the end of December
In late May, we took another important step toward expanding the Asian Tour’s presence in China at our last tournament which was the Asiapacific Classic (APC) in Zhengzhou. Following the game-changing strategic partnership we signed with the China Golf Association (CGA) last year, the APC was the third tournament we sanctioned in China during the past six months. This solidifies the East Asia corporate strategy we devised last year which has seen China become our fastest growing market!
Closer and Stronger
During this period, our team have developed strong camaraderie with CGD Sports, who are the promoter of the China Tour and our co-sanctioned tournaments. Through the success of the APC, the owner of St Andrews Golf Club in Zhengzhou, Mr Fan Zhiqiang committed to help underwrite and host the co-sanctioned tournament again in 2019 which is terrific news for both Tours. In the interim, we will return to China next in November for the Asian Golf Championship in Xiamen. We are also in discussions to add at least one additional event in China this season.
Developing Champions
The APC saw some outstanding golf with Asian Development Tour (ADT) stalwart, John Catlin of the United States, breaking through on the bigger stage to capture his maiden Asian Tour title with a two-shot victory over Adam Blyth. Catlin was the second consecutive ADT player to earn a “Tournament Winner” card following Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski’s impressive three-shot victory the week prior at the AB Bank Bangladesh Open.
Eight years after we founded the ADT in 2010, the circuit continues to be an effective feeder to the main tour. In addition to Catlin and Kokocinski, Berry Henson of the United States, Chinese Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang, Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Poom Saksansin, as well as Malaysian duo Gavin Green and Nicholas Fung were winners on the ADT before they progressed to become Asian Tour champions.
Welcome to the Asian Tour
The 37th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship marked our formal reestablishment of ties with the Korea Golf Association (KGA). It was the first time we co-sanctioned an event with the KGA since 2009. It was truly a momentous occasion for all our stakeholders, as well as everyone who worked hard to make the tournament so successful.
The event was staged at the Namseoul Country Club, saw many of our young Asian Tour stars step up their play to contend for the title. Yikeun Chang and Gaganjeet Bhullar ended up in a four-way playoff along with Sanghyun Park and Junggon Hwang of the Korean Tour. Eventually, Park secured victory with a par at the third extra hole. After his win, Park took up Asian Tour membership and with that, he’s in contention for the Habitat for Humanity Standings title.
Park is ranked seventh (after the Asia-pacific Classic), about US$400,000 behind the leader, India’s Shubhankar Sharma. With so many lucrative events on the horizon, the race is wide open. Speaking of which, we are looking forward to the approximately US$1,110,000 Kolon Korea Open, popularly known as one of the country’s golf majors, in late-june.
While the first five months of our schedule have been very solid, the remaining seven months are even stronger. The Asian Tour will have a busy schedule all the way to the end of December, highlighted by new events we are announcing that are set in exotic locations across the globe. The inaugural Sarawak Championship will be happening in early July. It is the first Asian Tour tournament to be held in the East Malaysian state after staging ADT events there from 2012 to 2017. The event will offer a prize purse of US$300,000 and will be staged at the Arnold Palmer designed Damai Golf and Country Club.
Similarly, the Asian Tour will be staging a main tour tournament in Pakistan in October after an 11- year hiatus. The CNS Open Golf Championship will also offer US$300,000 in prize money. We are enthusiastic that our involvement in Pakistan will grow the game in the country as well as the region.
My thanks to everyone for your continuing support to the Asian Tour! #whereitsat