Golf's European Tour Arranges India Event, Angering Its Asian Counterpart
12/06/2007 |
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Golf's European Tour said it will stage its first tournament in India next year, a move that angered administrators of the sport in Asia because they said they weren't consulted.
The $2.5 million Indian Masters, the richest golf tournament to be staged in the country, is scheduled for Feb. 7- 10 at an undesignated location. The Asian Tour said today it was ``appalled'' by the plan because it hadn't been asked to co- sanction the event, which is backed by the Indian Golf Union.
``The move is clearly unethical and against the protocol that exists within the framework of the International Federation of PGA Tours,'' Kyi Hla Han, executive chairman of the Asian Tour, said in a statement. ``This action reflects the European Tour's aggressive direction without any concern for the protocol.''
India would become the 37th country to host a European Tour event. Tournaments such as the Asian Open in Shanghai and the Singapore Masters are co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours, allowing players on either tour to pick up ranking points.
India is emerging as a golfing power, producing players like Arjun Atwal and Jeev Milkha Singh, both former winners on the European Tour. In April, Singh became the first player from his country to appear in the Masters Tournament at Augusta, Georgia.
``The growth of the Indian economy has coincided with the emergence of golf as a major sport in the country,'' European Tour Chief Executive George O'Grady said in a statement. ``We are always keen to expand our tournament portfolio into new territories.''
(Source: Bloomberg.com)
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