Row escalates over rival Asian golf tour

SINGAPORE -- Asian tour golf chiefs are furious over plans by the PGA of Australia to expand its activities in their region and are to appeal to the international federation to stop the proposed rival tour.

The PGA of Australia announced last week it had an agreement with the Japan tour and national associations in China and South Korea to create a new Asia-Pacific tour from next January.

An initial 20 tournaments each offering minimum prize money of $1.5 million was proposed, but Asian tour chairman Kyi Hla Han has condemned the plans.

"We strongly oppose its blatant action of entering the Asian market without the official involvement of the Asian tour. The PGA of Australia has stepped out its boundaries," he said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

PGA of Australia tour commissioner Ben Sellenger fueled the row on Monday when he said that the proposed "One Asia" tour doesn't necessarily need the Asian tour's approval or support to go ahead.

Han said he was "extremely disappointed" with that stance.

"This is clearly an ignorant attempt to disregard the role of the Asian tour," Han said. "As a member of the International Federation of PGA Tours, the Asian tour is the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia which the PGA of Australia is fully aware of."

Han said they would be making a formal request to the International Federation of PGA Tours to discuss "recent developments initiated by the PGA of Australia."

The Australian PGA tour has struggled in recent years due to lack of corporate sponsorship with many of its leading players concentrating their activities on the PGA tour in America and making few appearances on home soil.

By contrast, the Asian tour has formed strong alliances with the European tour and has expanded to a 28 tournament schedule with nearly $40 million in prize money. E-mail to a friend

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