Philippine Open to return in February

The Philippine Open, which was originally scheduled as the season-opening event on the Asian Tour, will now be staged at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club from February 1-4, officials confirmed today.

Prize money will increase by US$100,000 to US$300,000 from last year's total purse when Australian Scott Strange claimed an emphatic victory in Asia's eldest national Championship at the fabled Wack Wack East course.

The concerted efforts put in over the past week by the National Golf Association of the Philippines' (NGAP) President Leandro R. Mendoza, the First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and his Foundation, Wack Wack's Chairman Benjamin S. Abalos Snr., ICTSI's Enrique Razon and Asian Tour's Director of Tour Development Patrick Young have been instrumental in the quick return of the event.

Initially, the Philippine Open, inaugurated in 1913, was scheduled to be played this week but organisers delayed the Championship due to some details of the event that were being finalised.

Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han said today: "We are delighted to announce that the Philippine Open will be held during the first week of February with a substantial increase of 50 per cent in the total prize money.

"I would like to salute the efforts of Secretary Leandro Mendoza, the First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, the Club's Chairman Benjamin S. Abalos Snr, Enrique Razon and the Tour's Patrick Young for working together in the common goal of ensuring the Philippine Open would be staged without further delays.

"We are fully confident and committed to ensure that the 2007 staging of the Philippine Open will be a highly successful affair and Asia's best players will shoot for glory in one of the region's most prestigious national Opens."

With its timely return, the Philippine Open will now be the third leg of the 2007 Asian Tour season which is offering a minimum 29 tournaments and an all-time high of US$26 million in total prize money this season.

The new season will kick off in Karachi next week with the staging of the Pakistan Open at Karachi Golf Club from January 18-21.

January 11, 2007