World professional golf is having a hard time finding a new balance.
Instead of a step towards peace, every day that passes marks the birth of a new front in what is now defined as civil war.
Now it’s time for the Asian Tour.
Cho Minn Thant, CEO of the Tour said that times have changed, and that the Asian Tour no longer plays a secondary role to the DP World Tour.
Why this position?
The triggering reason must be sought in the statements made by Keith Pelley, CEO of the DP World Tour, following the outcome of the pending arbitration against some players of LIV Golf and the European Tour.
During the interview, Pelley feared the possibility of sanctioning five players (Jazz Janewattananond, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Wang Jeung-hun, Gavin Green and Takumi Kanaya) who, despite having the DP World Tour card, usually play on the Asian Tour.
The justification of the sanction would be, according to the CEO of the European Tour, the fact that the players chose to take part, last season, in the International Series England, event, with the Porsche European Open.
Cho MinnThant has a completely different point of view.
Asian Tour, statements
“In the past the Asian Tour was the minor tour, and there have always been players who wanted to play on the European Tour and the Japan Tour”
“We’ve always had players try to hold cards on other tours, and we’ve always been second or third in their order of priority.”
“Now all of that has changed very clearly, and players like Jazz Janewattananond, Scott Hend and Wade Ormsby prioritize the Asian Tour.”
It is clear that Keith Pelley’s approach is closely linked to the fact that the International Series is supported by Greg Norman’s LIV Golf.
The agreement between the Asian Tour and LIV Golf has led to the strengthening of the Series, which have prize money above average.
And, for LIV Golf players, they represent the only opportunity to accumulate World Ranking points.
The union of the two elements leads to having important fields in the International Series.
Cho continued:
“We have our policies and the DP World Tour has theirs”
“We are focused on ensuring the level of events, rather than trying to control where players can play or not”.
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