Golf-Tournament clash to make Malaysia a ‘laughing stock’ (Reuters)
March 8, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Reuters) – Malaysian golf chiefs arethreatening to withdraw their endorsement of the U.S. PGA’sfirst event in Southeast Asia over a clash of dates with anexisting Asian Tour event in the country.
The $6 million Asia Pacific Classic, co-sanctioned by theU.S. PGA and Asian Tour, and the Iskandar Johor Open are bothscheduled to take place in Malaysia from Oct. 28-31. “In my view, the timing is wrong. There cannot be two big golftournaments going on in the country at the same time,”Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) president Robin Loh toldTuesday’s Star newspaper.
“This does not happen elsewhere and we will definitely bethe laughing stock of the world. If they come to talk to us, wewill ask them to reconsider the dates.
“We understand the Asian Tour is looking at the IskandarJohor Open as one of their main events and we do not want it tobe interrupted.
“Otherwise, in the event of this conflict, we will write tothe Sports Commissioner’s office to ask them not to issue thelicence.”
On Tuesday, a spokesman for the Asian Tour said meetingswere taking place between the interested parties in order tosort out the schedule.
The Asia Pacific Classic takes place at The Mines resort inKuala Lumpur, while the Iskander Johor Open, which the Starsaid would have a purse of $2 million this year, will be hostedby the Royal Johor Country Club in the south of the Malaypeninsula. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Beijing; Editing by JohnO’Brien; To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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