ASIAN GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Chen leads; Yang makes cut and history Chawalit is 21st $1m man Kapur has European top 20 finish Midea gets $500,000 purse Fujita wins in wet & windy Beijing R&A supports juniors in China Mission Hills to host AP Summit GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Clarke pushing for Ryder Cup Duval still trying to get back on form Ochoa aims to push Sorenstam USGA adds another sponsor Sorenstam to retire at the end of 2008 Garcia back in the World Top 10

UBS to be title sponsor of Order of Merit

UBS, one of the world’s leading financial organisations, has joined forces with the Asian Tour to become the naming rights sponsor to the UBS Order of Merit in one of the region’s most significant sporting partnerships.

The announcement comes as a major expansion of UBS’s pan-regional approach to sponsoring golf in Asia Pacific, joining the UBS Hong Kong Open and the BMW Asian Open as key elements of the bank’s golf programme.

The Asian Tour will this year stage an unprecedented 32 events with a record total of more than US$24 million in total prize money on offer to the region’s best players. Several new events will debut this season, as 2006 surpasses all records in terms of number of tournaments staged and total prize money.

The UBS Order of Merit is the individual ranking system for Asian Tour players, based on prize money won across the annual schedule of events. Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant won the 2005 title, amassing more than US$510,000 in a season in which he won four times.

Said Rory Tapner, Chairman, UBS, Asia Pacific: “Golf offers an excellent opportunity to build our business and brand awareness across Asia Pacific. Our growing golf sponsorship portfolio in the region, including the flagship UBS Hong Kong Open, allows us to lever fully on that opportunity and we are keen to develop our support even further in 2006 through the sponsorship of the UBS Order of Merit.

“Whether in business or sponsorship, it is crucial for UBS to secure partners that share our goals and, like us, have a long-term focus. With the Asian Tour and its members we have identified a high-profile organisation that clearly shares those standards and we are delighted to join the Tour in sponsoring the UBS Order of Merit this season,” he added.

UBS has stamped its mark on the regional golfing landscape in recent months, with the UBS Order of Merit partnership – which also sees UBS designated as the Asian Tour’s ‘Official Financial Services Provider’ – a central pillar of its golf sponsorship plans in Asia Pacific.

Both joint-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours, the UBS Hong Kong Open and the BMW Asian Open, where UBS is an event partner and the tournament’s ‘Official Bank’, also have central roles to play in its Asia Pacific strategy, as UBS aligns its brand with the values and traditions of golf across the region.

Complementing its programme, UBS’s golf strategy extends to partnerships at three other significant international tournaments – THE PLAYERS Championship and the Bay Hill Invitational on the US PGA Tour and the women’s Evian Masters.

Added Christine Ong, Country Head, UBS Singapore: “Entering a partnership with the UBS Order of Merit underlines our belief in golf’s potential in Asia Pacific and gives us a chance to build on our commitment to the game at a pan-regional level.

“Very few sports provide year-round media exposure and business-building opportunities across the region in the way that the Asian Tour and the UBS Order of Merit do. All of us at UBS are looking forward to working with the Asian Tour in the coming years and sharing its continued growth with our clients and staff across Asia Pacific,” she said.

Thaworn, the reigning Asian number one, believes the partnership is a reflection of the growing standards of the Asian Tour. "It is great to see a major sponsor like UBS joining forces with the Asian Tour. Through its vision and support, this partnership will surely help the Asian Tour and our players to develop even further. This partnership will benefit all parties."

His feelings were echoed by Louis Martin, Chief Executive of the Asian Tour, who added: “Over the past few years, the Asian Tour has made a giant leap forward in many areas of our development across the region.

“It is a tremendous boost that a premium global brand such as UBS, an organisation that has already made a significant impact on our players with its sponsorship of the Hong Kong Open, has recognised our growth and has committed to the UBS Order of Merit.

“It is a reflection of the excellent efforts of our players and we are looking forward to continuing to build on this exciting partnership throughout 2006 and beyond,” said Martin.

Asian Tour regulars were also upbeat about the sponsorship announcement

Terry Pilkadaris, the highest-ranked Australian in the 2005 Order of Merit and three-time Tour winner said: “It's awesome. Obviously the Asian Tour is growing and sponsors want to be a part of a strong Tour. This sponsorship will benefit everyone. It is nice to have a big name supporting the Asian Tour and to be associated with a major sponsor like UBS is a win-win situation where it will promote UBS and golf in Asia.

“The Asian Tour has promoted the game successfully and all credit to them. We have grown from 22 events in 2004 to 27 events last year which is very impressive and 2006 will be even better.”

The highest-ranked Taiwanese player in 2005 and two-time Tour winner Lu Wen-teh commented: “UBS is a renowned name and the Tour's association with them will enable us to grow further. As players, we are constantly supportive of the Tour and to see more sponsors like UBS get involved with the Asian Tour is very pleasing. This will benefit Asian golf.”

Hong Kong's James Stewart said: “When the playing professionals in Asia established the Asian Tour, there were of course apprehensions about sponsorships. This tie-up with UBS is great and it shows how much we have grown over the past two years. As players, we want the Tour to grow stronger and it is through strong associations with major sponsors like UBS that we will continue to develop.”

Five time tour winner and the highest-ranked Indian player in 2005, Jyoti Randhawa agreed. “The new sponsorship arrangement with UBS is great news. UBS is a big name in the banking industry and our association with them will highlight further the growth and development of the Asian Tour. Our Tour has certainly grown over the years, we have more events on our schedule and our players are winning in Europe and the United States.

“This sponsorship will help us become stronger and I'm sure both the Asian Tour and UBS will benefit greatly from this new partnership.”

And 2005 Asian Tour Rookie of the Year, Shiv Kapur added: “A top name like UBS sponsoring the Asian Tour is fantastic. It gives an identity and adds value to the Tour. UBS is already title sponsoring the Hong Kong Open and we saw how successful the event was. And now with UBS joining the Asian Tour as a major sponsor, it augurs well for us. It puts the Asian Tour right up there with the big boys. ”

January 11, 2006