PGA Tour unveils new China series
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, November 4, 2013
The US PGA Tour continued its growth into Asia yesterday with the announcement of a new developmental circuit to be launched in China next year.
PGA Tour China will feature 12 events with fields, not restricted to Chinese players, expected to be between 120 and 156 players and purses around US$200,000. Qualifying events will be played early next year, with details still being finalized.
The new venture was launched by PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, China Golf Association chief Zhang Xiaoning and China Olympic Sports Industry President Sun Liping at the WGC HSBC Champions event.
"We are very pleased to announce the establishment of PGA Tour China, which builds upon our longstanding relationship with the China Golf Association," Finchem said.
The PGA Tour already owns and operates two tours outside the United States — PGA Tour LatinoAmerica and PGA Tour Canada — but a move into the world's second largest economy could upset its rivals.
Finchem, though, dismissed concerns that the new tour would pose a threat to the European and OneAsia Tours, which have had a presence in China for several years. "We don't see any effect on either OneAsia or the European Tour's interests in co-sanctioning events."
The European Tour has been playing official money tournaments in China since 2004, holding two events this year, while the OneAsia Tour is scheduled to hold four of its 11 in the country this year.
The new Tour follows the introduction of the PGA Tour's first fully fledged event in Southeast Asia at last week's US$7 million CIMB Classic in Malaysia.
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