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Fortis to title sponsor Asia World Cup Qualifier

Fortis, the financial services provider, will be the title sponsor for the World Cup Qualifier in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from September 27-30. The event will be called the Fortis International Challenge.

The Fortis International Challenge is an important team event on the Asian Tour calendar as a minimum of four nations will qualify for the Omega World Cup at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China in November.

Kota Permai Golf and Country Club, located on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, will host the Fortis International Challenge. The Ross Watson-designed golf course has previously hosted the qualifier in 2005, including the Asian Tour's season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia in the past.

“We are very excited to be sponsoring this key event. Over the last few years, Fortis has increased its sponsorship in golf through a number of client events and we are pleased to be invited to sponsor this high profile World Cup Qualifier” says Dennis Ziengs, CEO Asia, Fortis Insurance International.

“Fortis is very proud to be the title sponsor of the Fortis International Challenge to be held in Kuala Lumpur later this year. With some of the best players from Asia and around the world participating, we are assured of witnessing golf being played at its highest level," added Ziengs.

Last year, Singaporean duo Lam Chih Bing and Mardan Mamat won the World Cup Qualifier in Kuala Lumpur and featured in the elite team event in Barbados.

Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han was pleased to welcome Fortis as the World Cup Qualifier's title sponsor. "Being a major corporation in the financial industry, we believe our association with Fortis will further raise the profile and importance of the World Cup Qualifier” says Han.

"Asian players have very few opportunities to represent their countries in team competitions and I'm sure the Asian Tour members who are eligible to compete for a place in the Omega World Cup will relish the opportunity to compete in the Fortis International Challenge World Cup Qualifier," added Han, who has previously represented Myanmar in the World Cup.

The Asian Tour is staging the four-day qualifier on behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours, which is the sanctioning body for the Omega World Cup.

The Qualifier in Malaysia is open to Asian, European and African nations. Two-man teams will converge in Kuala Lumpur to chase the opportunity to challenge title holders Germany and some of the world's best players in China.

The format for the Qualifier is the same as the World Cup, with fourball golf played on the first and third days and foursomes (or alternate shot) played on the second and final days.

Like Asia, South America will also host a Qualifier. A total of 28 teams will tee up in Mission Hills.

June 5, 2007