Singapore, March 24: The ASEAN PGA Tour will embark on its fifth season in May boasting record prize money and a schedule featuring an exciting blend of established and new events.
The region’s top professionals will have the opportunity to play for US$685,000, which is over US$100,000 more than last year, and compete in nine tournaments.
The Singha Pattaya Open will raise the curtain on the season and be played in May at Burapha Golf Club. The tournament has been on the schedule for the past two years and was won by Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat in 2009 and his countryman Udorn Duangdecha last season.
The Singha Esan Open and the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Championship, which have been played since 2007, are the two other established events that remain on the schedule.
Mercedes-Benz completed their successful three-year sponsorship of the Tour last year and while they have moved on the ASEAN PGA is delighted to welcome on board six new tournaments.
Four of these will be held in Indonesia while two will be played in Malaysia.
The Bali Heritage, Lombok Heritage, The Heritage, and the Ancora Classic are the Indonesian additions.
The Bali, Lombok and Heritage events have been inaugurated by Indonesian promoter Rajawali Sports International with the aim of promoting some of the country’s premier tourist locations.
Details of the two Malaysian events are being finalized and will be announced over the coming weeks. The second of these will fill the position as the season-ending Tour Championship.
“Since launching the ASEAN PGA in September of 2007 we have been in the fortunate position to announce a strong schedule each year. We were able to stage five events in the latter stages of that memorable first year and today it is wonderful to have at least nine tournaments with an overall purse of US$685,000,” said A.C. Wong, Executive Chairman, ASEAN PGA.
“The arrival of six new tournaments this year is a reflection of the interest and confidence that exists in the ASEAN PGA. More importantly this is wonderful news for the young professional golfers in ASEAN who have embraced our Tour since day one,” added Wong.
World Sport Group, Asia’s leading sports marketing agency; specializing in sports sponsorship, sports content, and sports event management, remain as the official commercial partner for the ASEAN PGA Tour.
Their television arm will continue to produce a one hour highlight show for each event which will be broadcast on ESPN Star Sports.
“The ASEAN PGA has been a success on all fronts. Interest from the corporate sector is as strong as ever while we continue to see the best players, whether young or old, regularly compete and perform to the highest standard. We are excited to be working with our friends at the ASEAN PGA and we are extremely confident that this year will be the finest so far,” said Chris Jordan, Senior Vice President, Golf, World Sport Group.
Seven players from the ASEAN PGA Tour will once again have a chance to play in the Barclays Singapore Open.
This is in line with one of the ASEAN PGA’s main objectives which is to provide its members with the opportunity to play in some of the biggest events in the region.
Filipino Juvic Pagunsan has already secured his spot at Sentosa Golf Club, by virtue of winning the Order of Merit last year with earnings of US$25,450, while the leading six from this year will join him.
The top-10 players from the Merit list will also earn playing privileges on OneAsia.
The ASEAN PGA will once again welcome back Callaway, Crest Link, and Perskindol as official partners and work hand in hand with local promoters Sport Management Group (SMG) in Thailand, Rajawali Sports International and Ancora in Indonesia, and MJ Carr Golf Management in the Philippines.
Asean PGA Tour backup site 