CIMB Classic on the rise
The FedExCup tournament promotes Malaysia as a ‘regional golf and business’ hub
US PGA Tourr commission Jay Monahan shares his thoughts on the CIMB Classic, wwhich is set for Oct 12 to 15 at TPPC Kuala Lumpur, and what thee tournament means to the reegion as a whole. The followinng are excerpts of the intervieew.
Q: How do you view CIMB Cla ssic’s impact on the PGA To our as the first South-East Asian event with FedExCup points?
A: Following the event’s la aunch in Malaysia in 2010, th he tournament has evolved to becomeb the only official Fed dExCup tournament that effec ctively promotes Malaysia as a golf and business hub in the Aseann region. Also, the event has succes ssfully provided a platform for ou ur players to excel and advan nce in their careers. Case in point is Ryan Moore winning back-tto-back titles in 2013 and 2014, ffollowed by the achieve ements of Justin Thomas in 2015 annd 2016.
It has s been exciting to watch how Justin hash become a world-class golfer. HeH has since won five more tournam ments this year, including his first t Major title at the PGA Champi ionship in August and more recently y the FedExCup trophy.
Q: Has thhe South-East Asian event brought any significant benefit to the PGA Tour?T
A: One ofo the PGA Tour missions is to grow thhe game globally and we are privilegedd to work with the CIMB Group, whhich is a committed and innovativve sponsor. This year, with three connsecutive official events in Asia for the first time, the CIMB Classic is positioned as the first of those tournaments, which means there will be more of a global focus on Malaysia, South Korea and China than ever before.
With an exciting run of PGA Tour tournaments across Asia, our players will have every opportunity to showcase their talent and get a headstart in the season-long FedExCup points race.
The success of the CIMB Classic has allowed the PGA Tour to expand our international reach to new markets and provide our players with the opportunity to entertain the fans and impact golf ’s growth in the Far East.
Q: How significant is it that the event will now run through to 2020?
A: It is fantastic for us to partner with the CIMB Group, which has a clear vision for its sponsorship. CIMB understands that creating optimum value for its sponsorship investment requires time to yield what it hopes to accomplish.
Our long-term goal is to help establish the CIMB Classic as the flagship sporting event in Malaysia and Asean, which subsequently will deliver benefits to all stakeholders.
Q: The CIMB Classic will be part of a bigger PGA Tour footprint in Asia with events in China and South Korea. Can you outline the growth plan and the overall prospects?
A: The PGA Tour’s global mission is to lead the growth of the game and positively impact the landscape of golf in the places that we have the privilege to hold our tournaments.
We aspire to generate significant charitable and economic impact through initiatives our players support, and we are thankful our partnerships with CIMB Group and Malaysia have given us the opportunity to expand our international reach.
I am equally excited about our tournaments in South Korea and China because Asia is an important market. The growth opportunities here are immense, and we hope to play a lead role in helping the region realise its fullest potential in golf.
Q: Would the addition of these events add impetus to the overall strategy of making the PGA Tour a global entity, embracing many cultures and offering some playing opportunities to locally-based players?
A: We have been privileged to expand our footprint internationally where we now have offices in China, Japan, Korea and Malaysia, plus an office in London.
Through partnerships we have delivered great value to our sponsors while also delivering good playing opportunities for our players, who also experience the different cultures across Asia.
We fully support and embrace local participation as we know this will only grow the game. Malaysian players have received special invitations to every previous CIMB Classic because we feel it’s important to give them opportunities to play on golf ’s big stages – especially in their home country.
If a Malaysian golfer wins the CIMB Classic he will become a PGA Tour member, something that has never happened before. It’s the same for The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in South Korea and the WGC-HSBC Champions in China.
There are playing exemptions available for Korean players at this year’s event and we expect more Koreans playing in this official Tour event. Likewise at the HSBC Champions, spots are always reserved for the top players from China.
We saw a Japanese player, Hideki Matsuyama, win the 2016 HSBC Champions and we believe it’s only a matter of time before other Asian players join Hideki in winning on their own continent, which we know will inspire a new generation of players. This is something we anticipate becoming a reality.