By V. Krishnaswamy, IANS
Singapore : After Ernie Els and Lee Westwood slammed the European Tour for its scheduling that led to a clash of dates between Barclay’s Singapore Open, Asia’s richest event, and the Volvo Masters in Valderrama, Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han of Myanmar has also blamed the European Tour officials for this and much more.
Kyi Hla Han is also very upset about European Tour coming into Asia, particularly India and South Korea, without co-sanction from the Asian Tour.
“The European Tour had promised us that whenever they came into Asia they would only come at the invitation of the Asian Tour. But then they went ahead and did this,” said the former Asian Tour player.
“We have had so many co-sanctioned events in Asia since 1999 and it was always done with mutual co-operation, but suddenly they (European Tour) are changing it,” he said.
“We just want the same arrangements about the field to continue.”
He also felt that since Asia was where everyone was headed, golf in the continent was bound to grow. He said if the European Tour wanted only European players in an event in Asia, it was unlikely to work.
“Our players are standing firmly behind our tour. They know it is their stepping stone. They realise we are looking after the best interests of Asian Tour members.”
The Professional Goflers Tour of India (PGTI) has been in talks with Asian Tour and both of them have been standing by each other. The European Tour is also not keen on co-sanctioning with PGTI and therefore its members will not take part in the event.
Meanwhile, the clash of dates between the Singapore Open and the Volvo Masters in Valderrama has resulted in Ernie Els, current leader on the European Money List, being unable to play there as the South African is committed to Singapore Open for three years. This is the second year.
Kyi Hla Han said: “We announced the Barclays Singapore Open in May last year and the European Tour issued their schedule in November. They knew the dates of the tournament. If they wanted to move they could have moved. Basically, they only have themselves to blame for players not being there.”
Interestingly, this year European Tour announced the dates for 2008 Volvo Masters couple of weeks ago as Oct 30-Nov 2.
Asian Tour announced Wednesday that the 2008 Singapore Open will be held Nov 6-9.
Media reports from Valderrama have quoted former European number one Colin Montgomerie criticising Els and Westwood for missing the Volvo Masters. He told BBC: “The Order of Merit meant a lot to me and it obviously does not to others.”
The obvious reference was to Els.
Els, when asked to comment on Montgomerie’s remarks, said: “Well, you know where it’s coming from. So it’s no surprise. He obviously wants to make some noise and some news for himself. So, I take it with a grain of salt coming from him.
“If he asked me what the real issue is, he’d also understand. He’s an international player himself. So, he didn’t get in this week (in Singapore) and now he’s shooting his mouth off.”
The Asian and European tours have been at loggerheads ever since Europeans announced in April the inaugural Indian Masters in early 2008.
Kyi Hla Han termed it as “unethical” as the Europeans want to have that event without the Asian Tour.
The Indian tournament plus the announcement of another European Tour event in South Korea next year, also without the Asian Tour, has soured the relationship further.