PGA Tour's Far Eastern Forays Are Far from Fair

Having muscled its way into Asian Tour territory with the CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur, before setting-up the PGA Tour China Series, as Mike Wilson reveals, the US-based circuit is now expanding into Korea, Japan and even global domination on the cards with minimal resistance offered and it’s bad for golf in the Far East

Josh Burack, CEO of the Asian Tour

The PGA Tour, “Respectfully declined,” the opportunity to answer a number of key questions such as, ‘Was the host member of the IFPGAT, the Asian Tour or the KPGA Korean Tour, consulted over this initiative, and if so, in what manner, at what stage and what was the Asian Tour's reaction to the proposal?’

Josh Burack, CEO of the Asian Tour said diplomatically, “We have expressed our disappointment to the PGA Tour for the non-involvement of the Asian Tour and Korean PGA and hope to find an amicable solution in due course,” whilst a spokesman for the KPGA Korean Tour said his organization, which has over 6,000 members, Tour players and teaching professionals, was, “Extremely disappointed because [the] PGA Tour did not make an approach to the local PGA in first place, adding, “We have not been consulted by the PGA Tour.”

But a senior Asian Tour player who did not wish to be named was even more forthright than his CEO, commented, “The PGA Tour is all-powerful and seems to believe it can stage events anywhere in the world, without any regard for the home circuit and its members,” adding, “They are not only depriving Asian Tour members of playing opportunities and earning potential, but this also diverts sponsorship income and media exposure away from Asian Tour events.”

The organization supposedly established to represent the interests of its members, the International Federation of PGA Tours (IFPGAT) is seemingly unwilling to carry out its responsibilities on behalf of member organisations, the Asian Tour and the KPGA Asian Tour, clearly implying that all its members are equal, but one - the PGA Tour - is more equal than the others.

This article will continue in the next issue

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Written by Mike Wilson

Photography by AFP

Click here to see the published article.

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