Asian Tour Chief believes China could follow Korea

By Martin Parry (AFP) – 1 day ago
SINGAPORE — Asian Tour chief Kyi Hla Han believes Chinese players could follow their South Korean counterparts out of the OneAsia Tour, which on Wednesday sought to salvage a boycott of its events.
OneAsia, which was established last year by bringing together tours from China, South Korea and Australia to rival the Asian Tour, was dealt a heavy blow on Tuesday when Korean golfers voted to pull out of its tournaments.
In a statement issued on behalf of 110 Korea Professional Golfers' Association players, they claimed OneAsia was not working on their behalf.
They were unhappy at the number of places available to locals at next week's Maekyung Open and the SK Telecom Open as well as OneAsia simply absorbing existing tournaments and offering nothing new.
Concern was also voiced that it was being dictated by commercial, and not player, interests.
In an open letter, OneAsia chairman Sang Y. Chun and chief executive Ben Sellenger urged them to rethink.
"The Korean Golf Tour and its members are very important to the development and success of OneAsia in developing Korean champions," the letter said.
It warned that if the boycott was carried out at the Maekyung Open next week, KGT eligibility for all remaining OneAsia events would be removed.
"This is obviously the last resort and one which we would like to avoid at all cost."
It said more than 90 positions would be made available to Koreans at the Maekyung tournament and 70 at the SK Telecom.
OneAsia also stressed it was not commercially owned.
"OneAsia is founded by the KPGA, the KGA, China Golf Association and PGA of Australia and has no commercial ownership," it said.
"The object of OneAsia is to maximise elite playing opportunities of the leading golfers from across the region."
Kyi Hla Han said OneAsia was becoming "a laughing stock" and made clear he would welcome Korean players and events back onto the Asian Tour.
"We hope they come back to the Asian Tour," he told AFP, adding that he had been talking to sponsors in Korea who were interested.
The Asian Tour used to host both the Maekyung and SK Telecom events.
"We have been talking to a lot of sponsors in Korea and have been getting a good response," he said.
"We're working on our 2011 schedule already. Sponsors are very interested.
"We just do what other tours like the European Tour do and they are successful. I think the Koreans now realise that."
With most Korean players vowing to skip the remaining nine events on the OneAsia calendar, held mostly in China and Australia, Kyi Hla Han suggested that Chinese golfers would be watching developments very closely.
Asked if they could follow suit, he said: "I was talking to a few Chinese players last week and they feel that too many places (in OneAsia events) are being taken by Australians.
"That could follow Korea. Some players have already shown dissent."
China is a different proposition though, with the China Golf Association a government organisation which has aligned itself with OneAsia and squeezed out the Asian Tour. There is no player representative body, or PGA, in China.
Kyi Hla Han said he was open to further talks with the CGA.
"I think the opportunities for Chinese players have lessened," he said.
"I hope to work with China again. I'd like to hold talks and see if what we have is attractive to them. We can bring tournaments in."
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