HOMING IN ON STARS

Q Peter Senior has spoken about his disappointment that Australia’s top players like Jason Day and Adam Scott aren’t returning to play in the country’s top events. What do you make of their absence?

A The scheduling is tough but Adam Scott (pictured) has been leading the way for the Australians coming home for the last eight years. I think he has played eight out of nine PGA Championships. So we are very respectful that Adam, at some stage, had to have a year off. We would like to get Adam, Jason and guys like Leishman on a rotation. Leishman has been home the last two years, Jason has got another beautiful new child. The guys had reasons this year but I think what we have to do is get some type of rotation with Marc Leishman, Cameron Smith and with Cam Davis and the other young guys that are on the PGA Tour. We have to say to these guys, ‘can we get you on some type of rotation to play our leading events in Australia so we can market you’ so we always have the support of the next generation. Then we have the mix of those guys with the Pamplings, Sendens and others on our tour as well. The best part is through our new chairman Rodger Davis and our new director in Ian Baker-Finch, we hope we can talk to the players and talk about their schedules. The more we can let them know about what the PGA Tour of Australasia is doing then the more we can tell them how we need their help and support to grow and nurture and also introduce the next generation of players. It’s just as important to have those young guys at these events because they are the future stars who will attract people to tournaments.