Asian Tour unveils record-breaking 2007 schedule

The Asian Tour today announced a bumper 2007 Schedule consisting of 29 events and over US$26.5 million in total prize money, new milestones in Asian golf history.

The exciting growth of the game will see five new tournaments, three in Indonesia and one each in Cambodia and Malaysia, make their debuts on the burgeoning Asian Tour Schedule. The new events are the Motorola International Bintan, Jakarta Masters, Indonesian International Championship, Cambodian Open and Johor Classic in Malaysia.

Next season's total prize money will be over 100 per cent more than what was offered in 2004 when the region's players formed the Asian Tour, a player-representative body, to ensure control over their careers and the development of professional tournament golf in Asia. A total of US$12.3 million, then a record, was offered two years ago.

No fewer than eight established events on the Schedule will raise their prize funds in 2007, said Kyi Hla Han, Executive Chairman of the Asian Tour. Additionally, several other events are in final negotiations.

Han said the 2007 Schedule heralds the dawn of a new era for the world's fastest growing circuit as it will surpass the record of US$24 million offered through the staging of 27 events in the on-going 2006 season.

"We are delighted to unveil our 2007 Schedule which surpasses the record for both the number of events staged in a season and the total prize money on offer. We are also optimistic that we can go beyond 30 events," said Han today.

"Next year's calendar reinforces our mission to create exciting tournaments for our players, spectators, television viewers and valued sponsors. The expansion of golf in Asia is epitomised by a number of new events that will take place in 2007, most notably in Indonesia, and it will be exciting to break new ground with the inaugural Cambodian Open.

"This development bodes well for the game and on behalf of our players, I would like to thank all our sponsors and promoters for placing their faith on the Asian Tour as we step into a truly golden era."

Han feels the announcement of a strong 2007 Schedule couldn't have been better timed with the Asian Tour's finest players, led by India's Jeev Milkha Singh, making waves in the world of golf. Singh, the current leader of the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit, won the recent Volvo Masters in Spain, one of Europe's most prestigious events.

He also believes that Asia's position as the focal point of the professional game in world golf will be greatly enhanced next year, reflecting on the Tour's recently launched tagline of "Changing the Face of Golf".

"We are pushing towards the forefront of international golf. Not only will we have a solid Schedule in 2007, our players are also producing outstanding performances, both at home and abroad, which reinforce our rising standards of play," he said.

The underlying strength of the Asian Tour Schedule will continue to be built upon established and celebrated events which include the Barclays Singapore Open, UBS Hong Kong Open, Volvo China Open, BMW Asian Open, Johnnie Walker Classic, HSBC Champions and Maybank Malaysian Open, of which many have raised their prize funds for 2007.

The new season will kick off in the second week of January with the staging of Asia's oldest national Open, the Philippine Open from January 11-14. From then onwards, it will be non-stop action as Asia's finest players start a new race for the coveted UBS Order of Merit crown.

The Pakistan Open, Commercialbank Qatar Masters, Maybank Malaysian Open, Indonesia Open, Johnnie Walker Classic, Singapore Masters, TCL Classic and the inaugural Motorola International Bintan will feature prominently on the Schedule till March.

During the spring months, China will stage some of the Tour's biggest events, with the Volvo China Open and BMW Asian Open being played along with popular stops like the Maekyung Open and SK Telecom Open in Korea, Macau Open and Jakarta Masters.

From June to August, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei will host a raft of the tournaments before the Tour travels for the first time to Chinese Taipei in September for the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and Taiwan Open, which will raise prize money to an unprecedented US$1 million.

The Asian Tour's flagship event, the Barclays Singapore Open, will offer a record US$4 million next November and it will launch a stretch of lucrative events which include the HSBC Champions, UBS Hong Kong Open and the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia, which will bring the curtains down on the 2007 season in mid-December.

Apart from the UBS Order of Merit counting events, other main highlights of the 2007 Schedule are the Visa Dynasty Cup in August, a Ryder Cup-style match which pits Japan against Asia, and the WGC-World Cup in China in November.

The Visa Dynasty Cup is jointly sanctioned with the Japan Golf Tour Organisation, with Asia being the title holders after winning the first two editions in 2003 and 2005.

A total of 9 events will be co-sanctioned with the European Tour, which Han believes will continue to benefit both Tours and the players. "International cooperation will remain a priority as it creates opportunities for sponsors and players to benefit greatly from strategic partnerships," said Han.

2007 ASIAN TOUR SCHEDULE

Jan 11-14: Philippine Open, Wack Wack GCC, Manila, US$300,000

Jan 18-21: Pakistan Open, Karachi GC, Karachi, US$300,000

Jan 25-28: Commercialbank Qatar Masters*, Doha GC, Doha, US$2 million

Feb 8-11: Maybank Malaysian Open*, Saujana GCC, Kuala Lumpur, US$1.29 million

Feb 15-18: Indonesia Open*, Damai Indah GCC, Jakarta, US$1 million

Mar 1-4: Johnnie Walker Classic#, Venue TBC, US$2.3 million

Mar 8-11: Singapore Masters*, Laguna National Golf and CC, Singapore, US$1 million

Mar 15-18: TCL Classic*, Venue TBC, US$1 million

Mar 22-25: Motorola International Bintan, Ria Bintan GC, Bintan, US$350,000

Marc 27-28: British Open Qualifier, Sentosa GC, Singapore

Apr 12-15: Volvo China Open*, Shanghai Silport GC, Shanghai, US$2 million

Apr 19-22: BMW Asian Open*, Venue TBC, US$1.5 million

May 3-6: Maekyung Open, Venue TBC, Seoul, US$600,000

May 17-20: Macau Open, Macau GCC, Macau, US$300,000

May 24-27: SK Telecom Open, Venue TBC, Seoul, US$600,000

May 31-June 3: Jakarta Masters, Venue TBC, US$500,000

June 14-17: Bangkok Airways Open, Santiburi Samui CC, Samui, US$400,000

June 28-July 1: Crowne Plaza Open, Venue TBC, Malaysia, US$300,000

July 5-8: Johor Classic, Royal Johor GC, Johor, Malaysia, US$300,000

July 12-15: Brunei Open, Empire Hotel and CC, Bandar Seri Begawan, US$300,000

Aug 16-19: Visa Dynasty Cup**, Venue TBC

Aug 23-26: Indonesian International Championship, Venue TBC, Jakarta, US$400,000

Sept 13-16: Pulai Springs Malaysian Masters, Pulai Springs Resort, Johor Bahru, US$300,000

Sept 20-23: Taiwan Open, Sunrise GCC, Taipei, US$1 million

Sept 27-30: Mercuries Taiwan Masters, Taiwan GCC, Taipei, US$500,000

Oct 4-7: Kolon-Hana Bank Korea Open, Woo Jeong Hills CC, Seoul, US$750,000

Oct 11-14: Hero Honda Indian Open, Delhi GC, New Delhi, US$500,000

Oct 25-28: TBA

Nov 1-4: Barclays Singapore Open, Sentosa GC, Singapore, US$ 4 million

Nov 8-11: HSBC Champions (s), Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai, US$5 million

Nov 15-18: UBS Hong Kong Open*, Hong Kong GC, Hong Kong, US$2 million

Nov 22-25: WGC-World Cup, Mission Hills GC, Shenzhen, China, US$5 million

Dec 6-9: Cambodian Open, Phokeethra CC, Siem Reap, US$300,000

Dec 13-16: Volvo Masters of Asia, Thai Country Club, Bangkok, US$650,000

* Co-sanctioned with European Tour

** Co-sanctioned with Japan Golf Tour Organisation

# Tri-sanctioned with European Tour and Australasian Tour

(s) Special Event.

November 6, 2006

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