Golf News: - Posted 11th December 1997

European Tour Executive supports Omega Tour

Hong Kong - Asian golf will receive an excellent opportunity to showcase itself when Ken Schofield, Executive Director of the PGA European Tour, attends the final day of the Omega PGA Championship in Hong Kong on December 14.

The US$500,000 Omega PGA Championship at Clearwater Golf and Country Club is the finale to the 21 stroke play events on the Asian PGA's 1997 Omega Tour. Schofield, a strong supporter of the Omega Tour, will also attend the end-of-season awards dinner at the Conrad International.

At the recent International Golf Conference organised by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Schofield spoke highly of the Omega Tour.

He said it had made dramatic and progressive strides and predicted that it would soon join the World Federation of Professional Golf Tours as the sixth member.

"It is possible that they may join before too long," he told delegates.

Asia would join Europe, America, Japan, Southern Africa and Australasia in the body with world ranking status for the Omega Tour being one of the likely benefits.

The Asian PGA is pleased that Schofield has accepted an invitation to come to Asia for the climax to the Omega Tour.

"Mr Schofield is a very busy man and we are happy that he has taken time out of his schedule to come to Hong Kong for the last day of the Omega PGA Championship," said Ramlan Harun, Executive Director of the Asian PGA.

"We have been lobbying hard for membership of the World Federation of Professional Golf Tours and Mr Schofield's comments that we will soon be the sixth member are very welcome.

"We have built the Tour steadily over the past three years and with standards improving by the tournament the Asian PGA is ready to take its place in this body and work with the other Tours towards the globalisation of professional golf."