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Asian Tour to debut Tani Asia Open in Korea in 2010

The Asian Tour will welcome Korea’s newest tournament early next year, officials announced today.

The inaugural Tani Asia Open will be held at the Tani Country Club in Sachun City in April of 2010 and offer a prize fund of US$300,000. Sachun City is an hour’s flight south of Seoul.

The Asian Tour and Tani Resort Inc. signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Seoul today to finalise the birth of the region’s latest professional golf tournament.

The new Asian Tour event will include 60 players from the Korean PGA.

Tani Resort Inc Chairman Kim Sung-soo said the tournament will coincide with the launch of the golf club, which is scheduled for completion in March next year.

“We are delighted to formalise the establishment of the Tani Asia Open today with the Asian Tour. It is our ambition to stage a top-class golf tournament at our new golf course which will offer a true championship test, panoramic views and a traditional Korean dynasty designed clubhouse,” said Kim.

“Through our association with the Asian Tour, we plan to showcase our new golf course to the world. For the inaugural event, we will offer total prize money of US$300,000 but there are plans to increase the prize purse annually and the goal will be to establish the Tani Asia Open as one of the biggest Asian Tour events in Korea.”

Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han lauded the launch of the Tani Asia Open, saying the event will provide a further catalyst for the growth of the game in Korea and across Asia.

“Over the years, Korea has produced world-class golfers such as Asian Tour honorary member K.J. Choi, Charlie Wi and more recently, some of the finest young talents in Asia in Noh Seung-yul and Bae Sang-moon,” said Han.

“The leading Korean players have successfully used the Asian Tour as a launch pad for their careers and I have every confidence that the Tani Asia Open will provide further opportunities for them to achieve greater success.

“Sponsorship is the lifeblood of professional sports and I would like to express our fullest appreciation to Tani Resort Inc. We are also delighted to work closely with the Korean PGA for the betterment of professional golf in Asia.

“The birth of a new tournament in Korea reflects the growing strength of the game in this country. It will also be a great opportunity for the Korean players to test themselves against the finest players from Asia.”

The addition of the Tani Asia Open to the Asian Tour schedule is particularly interesting, since the Korean PGA and Korea Golf Association have formally aligned themselves with the OneAsia Tour, which is in open conflict with the Asian Tour over the organisation of professional golf in the region.

June 18, 2009