IN A WEEK WHICH WAS ALWAYS SET TO BE MOMENTOUS FOR THE ASIAN TOUR WITH THE STRONGEST FIELD IT HAS EVER ASSEMBLED, AT THE SAUDI INTERNATIONAL, THE TOUR HAS MADE PERHAPS THE BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENT IN ITS HISTORY, UNVEILING THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
In what is the most significant development in the history of Asian golf and a boom for the global game, what is now to be known as The International Series will be integrated into the full 2022-23 Asian Tour schedule. The series will kick off in Thailand in March followed by visits to England, Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East, China, Singapore, and Hong Kong and will feature prize purses ranging from US$1.5 to US$2 million per event.
In what is the most significant development in the history of Asian golf and a boom for the global game, what is now to be known as The International Series will be integrated into the full 2022-23 Asian Tour schedule. The series will kick off in Thailand in March followed by visits to England, Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East, China, Singapore, and Hong Kong and will feature prize purses ranging from US$1.5 to US$2 million per event.
Today’s announcement also saw the unveiling of the new brand, name, and logo as well as an increase in the lucrative and unprecedented investment into the Asian Tour from US$200 million to US$300 million further solidifying LIV Golf Investments dedication to the global game. As one of the biggest investments in the history of professional golf, The International Series will support playing opportunities and prize funds for the 10 events to be played every season over the next decade. It has been designed to drive greater engagement amongst fans, attract new commercial interest and to help stabilize professional golf following a sustained period of worldwide disruption and uncertainty.
“We are on the threshold of a new era for Asian golf,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO, Asian Tour. “The International Series is a new upper-tier of elite events, the likes of which the region has not seen before, that will mark the start of a phenomenal period of growth for the Asian Tour. It also signifies the beginning of our relationship with our new strategic partner LIV Golf Investments and its CEO Greg Norman.”“Importantly, The International Series will add to the Asian Tour’s backbone of established events to comprise a 25-event season, expected to represent a record-breaking combined prize-fund. Each of the 10 events will be broadcast live across the globe, with plans to attract an international field of headline talent.”
KAEC-SAUDI-ARABIA – LIV Golf Investments announce the 10 event The International Series, from left right, Greg Norman, CEO LIV Golf and Asian Tour No 1 golfer, Joohyung Kim of Korea shake hands at a press conference ahead of the US$ 5 million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers. The event is staged from February 3-6, 2022, at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
KAEC-SAUDI-ARABIA – Asian Tour and LIV Golf Investments announce The International Series. From left to right -Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour, Greg Norman, CEO LIV Golf and Asian Tour No 1 golfer, Joohyung Kim of Korea. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
In October last year, Greg Norman, was announced as CEO of LIV Golf Investments – a newly formed company whose purpose is to holistically improve the health of professional golf on a truly global scale to help unlock the sports’ untapped worldwide potential. PIF, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds with a diverse international investment portfolio, is the majority shareholder in LIV Golf Investments.
“We are setting the Asian Tour up as a powerful new force on the world golf stage,” said Norman. “In my 40 years as a professional golfer, I’ve seen many parts of the world that have benefitted tremendously from golf and its growth and development. We now have the opportunity to do that in the Asia Pacific region and the Middle East with this incredible investment platform. Everyone benefits – professional players, amateurs, grassroots golf, fans, economies, communities, stakeholders. I’ve never been so optimistic about the future of the sport.”
The widely acclaimed Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand, will host The International Series Thailand March 3-6, boasting a prize purse of US$1.5 million, before London stages the next event at Centurion Club from June 9-12, offering a US$2 million purse. The second half of the year will see stops in Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia before heading to the Middle East and then culminating in China, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
The announcement comes on the eve of the Asian Tour’s new season with the US$5million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers starting on Thursday at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club. With six out of the top-20 players in the world competing – including Americans Dustin Johnson, the 2019 and 2021 champion, and Bryson Dechambeau – as well as over 50 of the Asian Tour’s most prominent players, the star-studded event is the strongest field in the history of the Asian Tour. The tournament, which is not part of The International Series, also offers one of the Asian Tour’s most lucrative purses.
The Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season was recently completed and saw Joohyung Kim, Korea’s 19-year-old rising star, claim the coveted Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Speaking at today’s press conference, he said: “I have been fortunate to enjoy an amazing start to my professional career but for this to happen at the same time as the Asian Tour is going through such incredibly positive changes is a huge bonus for me, as well as for all the Asian Tour players.”More details of The International Series events, and other Asian Tour tournaments this year, will be made available in due course.
SO WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES?
IN 2022-23 THERE WILL BE 10 EVENTS, WITH ONLY 8 ANNOUNCED SO FAR
EACH EVENT WILL HAVE A PURSE OF $1.5-2 MILLION
EVENTS WILL BE PLAYED IN THAILAND, ENGLAND, VIETNAM, KOREA, CHINA, SINGAPORE, THE MIDDLE EAST AND HONG KONG
EVENTS WILL BE PART OF A 25-EVENT ASIAN TOUR SCHEDULE
IT IS WIDELY SEEN THAT THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES IS A STEPPING STONE TOWARDS A FULLY-FLEDGED SUPER GOLF LEAGUE FUNDED BY THE SAUDI PUBLIC INVESTMENT FUND, BUT IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER THIS WILL HAPPEN AFTER THREATS OF LIFETIME BANS FROM THE PGA TOUR AND DP WORLD TOUR FOR PLAYERS WHO COMPETE IN THE SERIES. THE PURSES FOR EACH TOURNAMENT ARE SET TO BE $1.5-2MILLION PER EVENT, WHICH ON THE FACE OF IT IS NOTHING SPECIAL AS IT DOESN'T EVEN MATCH UP TO THE DP WORLD TOUR'S MIDDLE RANKING EVENTS. BUT THE KEY ELEMENT IN ATTRACTING THE WORLD'S BEST GOLFERS WILL BE THE APPEARANCE FEES THE ASIAN TOUR IS NOW CAPABLE OF PAYING.
IN THE PAST EVENTS SUCH AS THE JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC, A MAINSTAY ON THE DP WORLD TOUR AND ASIAN TOUR FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS, ATTRACTED INCREDIBLE FIELDS WHICH INCLUDED THE LIKES OF TIGER WOODS, ERNIE ELS, GREG NORMAN, NICK FALDO, IAN WOOSNAM AND FRED COUPLES TO THE FAR EAST USED APPEARANCE FEES TO BOLSTER THE FIELD. OTHER EVENTS IN THE REGION INCLUDING THE DUNLOP PHOENIX TOURNAMENT, CASIO WORLD OPEN AND TAIHEIYO MASTERS ON THE JAPAN GOLF TOUR HAVE ALSO USED APPEARANCE FEES TO ATTRACT THE WORLD'S BEST TO ADD TO A STRONG FIELD OF HOME TALENT. THE THAILAND GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP, INDONESIA MASTERS AND SINGAPORE OPEN HAVE ALSO PREVIOUSLY RELIED UPON THE PAYMENT OF APPEARANCE FEES TO ATTRACT STRONG FIELDS.
SO FAR THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY REACTION FROM THE ESTABLISHED POWER BASE OF GOLF, NAMELY THE PGA TOUR AND DP WORLD TOUR, BUT YOU CAN EXPECT IT WILL BE A NEGATIVE ONE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CENTURION CLUB HOSTING A UK-BASED EVENT.
IN ESSENCE WE DON'T KNOW MUCH MORE THAN WE DID PRIOR TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT NOW IT HAS BEEN MADE PUBLIC AND FORMAL BY THE ASIAN TOUR AND GREG NORMAN. THE FIRST EVENT WILL BE PLAYED AT THAILAND'S BLACK MOUNTAIN COUNTRY CLUB, A VENUE WHICH HAS STAGED EVENTS ON THE DP WORLD TOUR BEFORE AND A NATION WHICH HAS BEEN INTEGRAL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORLD CLASS GOLF ACROSS ASIA.
THE SECOND EVENT OF THE 2022-23 SERIES MAY PROVE TO BE THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL, BEING PLAYED IN EUROPE AT THE CENTURION CLUB NEAR LONDON.
IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT THE HONG KONG OPEN WILL BE THE CONCLUDING EVENT OF THE SERIES AFTER THE ASIAN TOUR MADE AN APPROACH TO THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION LAST AUTUMN, AND THE EVENT HASN'T APPEARED ON THE DP WORLD TOUR SCHEDULE FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS. THE HONG KONG GOLF CLUB HAS SEEN THE LIKES OF RORY MCILROY AND SIR NICK FALDO CLAIM TITLES ON ITS COURSE IN THE PAST.
IT WOULD SEEM LIKELY THAT THE SINGAPORE OPEN, PLAYED AT SENTOSA COUNTRY CLUB, WOULD BE PART OF THE SERIES, ALONG WITH THE GREG NORMAN-DESIGNED, AWARD-WINNING BLUFFS COURSE AT HO TRAM STRIP IN VIETNAM, AND PERHAPS THE GREG NORMAN-DESIGNED COURSE AT MISSION HILLS IN CHINA.
THE MIDDLE EAST LEG OF THE SERIES IS YET TO HAVE A CONFIRMED HOST, BUT WITH DUBAI, ABU DHABI AND QATAR CURRENTLY STAGING DP WORLD TOUR EVENTS IT WOULD SEEM LIKELY IT WILL BE SAUDI ARABIA, BAHRAIN OR OMAN.
IT WOULD SEEM ENTIRELY PLAUSIBLE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES WILL EXPAND TO THE RUMOURED 14 EVENTS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, AND PLAY IN OTHER DESTINATIONS, WHICH MAY INCLUDE ESTABLISHED DESTINATIONS ALREADY USED BY THE PGA TOUR AND DP WORLD TOUR, BUT COULD ALSO SEE THE TOUR BRANCH OUT INTO AFRICA AND SOUTH AMERICA.
FOR NOW LET US LOOK AT THE UPCOMING UK LEG OF THE SERIES, SET TO BE PLAYED AT THE CENTURION CLUB IN THE WEEK PRIOR TO THE US OPEN, JUNE 9-12, 2022.
A view of the 13th hole at the centurion club from behind the tee box
07/07/2021. Ladies European Tour 2021. Aramco Team Series - London, Centurion Club, London. July 8-10,2021. Credit: Tristan Jones.
THE CENTURION CLUB NEAR ST ALBANS WAS WIDELY SEEN AS BEING A FUTURE RYDER CUP HOST IF THE EVENT RETURNS TO ENGLAND, BUT THAT WOULD NOW SEEM TO BE DEAD AS A DODO AFTER TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT. THE VENUE, DESIGNED BY SIMON GIDMAN, HOSTED THE DP WORLD TOUR'S GOLFSIXES IN 2017 AND 2018 BEFORE STAGING THE ARAMCO TEAM SERIES - LONDON ON THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR IN 2021.
IN SOME PARTS OF THE MEDIA WE HAVE SEEN THE WORDS "ATTACK ON THE DP WORLD TOUR" IN RELATION TO THE STAGING OF AN ASIAN TOUR EVENT IN ENGLAND. BUT LET US REMEMBER THE DP WORLD TOUR AND PGA TOUR STAGE EVENTS ACROSS ASIA WITHOUT THE CO-SANCTIONING OF THE ASIAN TOUR, INDEED THE DP WORLD TOUR HAS STAGED EVENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOR OVER 30 YEARS WITHOUT THE CO-SANCTIONING OF THE TOUR WHICH IS BASED IN ASIA.
THE TIMING OF THE UK-BASED LEG OF THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES DOES SEEM TO BE MILDLY BIZARRE, GIVEN THAT IT WILL BE THE WEEK BEFORE THE US OPEN. MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THE WORLD'S BEST GOLFERS WILL EITHER BE PLAYING IN THE RBC CANADIAN OPEN, ONE OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST NATIONAL OPENS AND AN IMPORTANT EVENT FOR THE PGA TOUR ON THE WORLD STAGE, OR PREPARING FOR THE US OPEN ITSELF.
IT WOULD SEEM UNLIKELY THAT THIS EVENT WILL INDEED ATTRACT THE KIND OF STAR NAMES THAT THE SAUDI INTERNATIONAL HAS. HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING WEEK THE CENTURION CLUB WILL ALSO HOST THE SECOND EDITION OF THE ARAMCO TEAM SERIES - LONDON, AND PERHAPS THIS IS ALSO AN INDICATION OF FUTURE PLANS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES AND THE ASIAN TOUR. BY USING BACK TO BACK EVENTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN ON THE SAME COURSE, USING THE SAME INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS SORT OF PLAN WAS ALSO DEVISED BY THE PREMIER GOLF LEAGUE, WHICH HAS NO CONNECTION TO THE ASIAN TOUR OR SAUDI PUBLIC INVESTMENT FUND.
LONDON IS CLEARLY SEEN BY THE ASIAN TOUR AND LIV GOLF INVESTMENTS AS A KEY MARKETPLACE TO PROMOTE THE SERIES AND TO PUT ASIAN TOUR GOLF AND THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES ON THE WORLD STAGE. OTHER COURSES IN THE LONDON AREA COULD HAVE BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION SUCH AS SUNNINGDALE, THE GROVE, WALTON HEATH AND THE LONDON GOLF CLUB, BUT EACH OF THESE HAVE A LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DP WORLD TOUR, SO IT SEEMS THE CENTURION CLUB IS A NATURAL FIT.
SURELY WE WILL SEE A BACKLASH FROM THE DP WORLD TOUR, WHO YESTERDAY ANNOUNCED A NEW SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH VOLVO FOR THE SCANDINAVIAN MIXED, WHICH IS DUE TO TAKE PLACE IN THE SAME DATES AS THIS INTERNATIONAL SERIES EVENT. THAT EVENT IS ALSO SET TO HAVE A $2MILLION PURSE, BUT BEING PLAYED THE WEEK PRIOR TO THE US OPEN WAS NEVER EXPECTED TO SECURE A STRONG, GLOBAL FIELD.
IF WE GET ANY REACTION FROM THE PGA TOUR AND DP WORLD TOUR YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIND IT HERE ON SHANKMEDIA.CO.UK/GOLF AND ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
OUR MAJOR FEATURE - GIVING THE GAME A SHEIKH UP - WILL BE RELEASED LATER THIS WEEK, ALONG WITH COVERAGE OF THE SAUDI INTERNATIONAL AND ANY FURTHER REACTION OR NEWS IN THIS MOMENTOUS WEEK FOR GOLF ACROSS THE GLOBE.
IN SOME PARTS OF THE MEDIA WE HAVE SEEN THE WORDS "ATTACK ON THE DP WORLD TOUR" IN RELATION TO THE STAGING OF AN ASIAN TOUR EVENT IN ENGLAND. BUT LET US REMEMBER THE DP WORLD TOUR AND PGA TOUR STAGE EVENTS ACROSS ASIA WITHOUT THE CO-SANCTIONING OF THE ASIAN TOUR, INDEED THE DP WORLD TOUR HAS STAGED EVENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOR OVER 30 YEARS WITHOUT THE CO-SANCTIONING OF THE TOUR WHICH IS BASED IN ASIA.
THE TIMING OF THE UK-BASED LEG OF THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES DOES SEEM TO BE MILDLY BIZARRE, GIVEN THAT IT WILL BE THE WEEK BEFORE THE US OPEN. MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THE WORLD'S BEST GOLFERS WILL EITHER BE PLAYING IN THE RBC CANADIAN OPEN, ONE OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST NATIONAL OPENS AND AN IMPORTANT EVENT FOR THE PGA TOUR ON THE WORLD STAGE, OR PREPARING FOR THE US OPEN ITSELF.
IT WOULD SEEM UNLIKELY THAT THIS EVENT WILL INDEED ATTRACT THE KIND OF STAR NAMES THAT THE SAUDI INTERNATIONAL HAS. HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING WEEK THE CENTURION CLUB WILL ALSO HOST THE SECOND EDITION OF THE ARAMCO TEAM SERIES - LONDON, AND PERHAPS THIS IS ALSO AN INDICATION OF FUTURE PLANS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES AND THE ASIAN TOUR. BY USING BACK TO BACK EVENTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN ON THE SAME COURSE, USING THE SAME INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS SORT OF PLAN WAS ALSO DEVISED BY THE PREMIER GOLF LEAGUE, WHICH HAS NO CONNECTION TO THE ASIAN TOUR OR SAUDI PUBLIC INVESTMENT FUND.
LONDON IS CLEARLY SEEN BY THE ASIAN TOUR AND LIV GOLF INVESTMENTS AS A KEY MARKETPLACE TO PROMOTE THE SERIES AND TO PUT ASIAN TOUR GOLF AND THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES ON THE WORLD STAGE. OTHER COURSES IN THE LONDON AREA COULD HAVE BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION SUCH AS SUNNINGDALE, THE GROVE, WALTON HEATH AND THE LONDON GOLF CLUB, BUT EACH OF THESE HAVE A LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DP WORLD TOUR, SO IT SEEMS THE CENTURION CLUB IS A NATURAL FIT.
SURELY WE WILL SEE A BACKLASH FROM THE DP WORLD TOUR, WHO YESTERDAY ANNOUNCED A NEW SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH VOLVO FOR THE SCANDINAVIAN MIXED, WHICH IS DUE TO TAKE PLACE IN THE SAME DATES AS THIS INTERNATIONAL SERIES EVENT. THAT EVENT IS ALSO SET TO HAVE A $2MILLION PURSE, BUT BEING PLAYED THE WEEK PRIOR TO THE US OPEN WAS NEVER EXPECTED TO SECURE A STRONG, GLOBAL FIELD.
IF WE GET ANY REACTION FROM THE PGA TOUR AND DP WORLD TOUR YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIND IT HERE ON SHANKMEDIA.CO.UK/GOLF AND ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
OUR MAJOR FEATURE - GIVING THE GAME A SHEIKH UP - WILL BE RELEASED LATER THIS WEEK, ALONG WITH COVERAGE OF THE SAUDI INTERNATIONAL AND ANY FURTHER REACTION OR NEWS IN THIS MOMENTOUS WEEK FOR GOLF ACROSS THE GLOBE.
08/07/2021. Ladies European Tour 2021. Aramco Team Series - London, Centurion Club, London. July 8-10,2021. Diksha Dagar of India during the first round. Credit: Tristan Jones.
