Asian chief slams China 'vanity' tournaments
October 27, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA is jeopardizing the development of its talent with cash-rich "vanity" exhibition tournaments, the head of the Asian Tour has warned.
AT executive chairman Kyi Hla Han issued the alert ahead of this week's Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters, a new tournament unsanctioned by any tour, offering one of the world's biggest winner's cheques of US$2 million. He said such glamor events springing up in China only create playing opportunities for the world's elite and fail to help the development of Chinese and Asian professional golf.
"Players need a structured organization that looks after their best interests. I just don't think exhibition tournaments like the Shanghai Masters help the players develop," said Han. "And these tournaments do not give players any world ranking points."
He says this could harm China's chances of fielding a strong team when the sport returns to the Olympics in 2016.
"The Chinese players are going to have play their way into the Olympics by virtue of the world rankings. There is no other way around that until they play structured tours," said Han. "These exhibition events are just short term situations making the rich players richer, and they are all non-Asian players. In a way these tournaments are vanity projects by the organizers and sponsors."
The PGA is also reported to be unhappy with these events offering record breaking amounts of cash to attract its top tour players.
AT executive chairman Kyi Hla Han issued the alert ahead of this week's Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters, a new tournament unsanctioned by any tour, offering one of the world's biggest winner's cheques of US$2 million. He said such glamor events springing up in China only create playing opportunities for the world's elite and fail to help the development of Chinese and Asian professional golf.
"Players need a structured organization that looks after their best interests. I just don't think exhibition tournaments like the Shanghai Masters help the players develop," said Han. "And these tournaments do not give players any world ranking points."
He says this could harm China's chances of fielding a strong team when the sport returns to the Olympics in 2016.
"The Chinese players are going to have play their way into the Olympics by virtue of the world rankings. There is no other way around that until they play structured tours," said Han. "These exhibition events are just short term situations making the rich players richer, and they are all non-Asian players. In a way these tournaments are vanity projects by the organizers and sponsors."
The PGA is also reported to be unhappy with these events offering record breaking amounts of cash to attract its top tour players.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
