JAPANESE MEN'S PRO TOUR WILL START ON SCHEDULE
The Japanese men's golf tour will begin on schedule next month to help raise money for the victims of last week's devastating earthquake, a senior official told the Reuters agency.
The JGTO tour's executive director Andy Yamanaka said sponsors were in favour of playing the events as planned while an official announcement is expected next week.
"We're planning to hold the season opener in Nagoya, the Token Cup, on April (14-17) as planned," said Yamanaka.
"Most of the sponsors want to host the events, even though there has been major damage (in the north of Japan).
"We're thinking about what we can do to raise money and make donations to support the victims."
Thousands died in the 9.0-magnitude quake last Friday, triggering a massive tsunami that wiped away entire towns and badly damaged a nuclear power plant 240-km (150 miles) north of Tokyo.
The women's JLPGA tour scrapped a handful of events following the earthquake but Yamanaka insisted the JGTO would try to stick to its schedule, despite the crisis.
"It's difficult to judge (if golf events should go ahead under the circumstances), but many say we should carry on in order to raise money," he said, adding that sponsors and players alike would make donations.
"The JLPGA already cancelled four tournaments but our season hasn't started yet. It's easy to cancel tournaments but we must find a way to help the victims - that's the bottom line."
Yamanaka admitted, however, that the JGTO would rethink their plans in the event of a Chernobyl-style meltdown at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.
"Of course you must think about a worst-case scenario," said Yamanaka, who will hold talks with players including JGTO teen sensation Ryo Ishikawa before the organisation's formal announcement.
"We have to look at the situation very carefully," he added, while hundreds of workers battled to repair the quake-battered nuclear reactor.
"You just don't know what's going to happen and things could get worse, so we have to change our plans accordingly."
Reuters
The JGTO tour's executive director Andy Yamanaka said sponsors were in favour of playing the events as planned while an official announcement is expected next week.
"We're planning to hold the season opener in Nagoya, the Token Cup, on April (14-17) as planned," said Yamanaka.
"Most of the sponsors want to host the events, even though there has been major damage (in the north of Japan).
"We're thinking about what we can do to raise money and make donations to support the victims."
Thousands died in the 9.0-magnitude quake last Friday, triggering a massive tsunami that wiped away entire towns and badly damaged a nuclear power plant 240-km (150 miles) north of Tokyo.
The women's JLPGA tour scrapped a handful of events following the earthquake but Yamanaka insisted the JGTO would try to stick to its schedule, despite the crisis.
"It's difficult to judge (if golf events should go ahead under the circumstances), but many say we should carry on in order to raise money," he said, adding that sponsors and players alike would make donations.
"The JLPGA already cancelled four tournaments but our season hasn't started yet. It's easy to cancel tournaments but we must find a way to help the victims - that's the bottom line."
Yamanaka admitted, however, that the JGTO would rethink their plans in the event of a Chernobyl-style meltdown at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.
"Of course you must think about a worst-case scenario," said Yamanaka, who will hold talks with players including JGTO teen sensation Ryo Ishikawa before the organisation's formal announcement.
"We have to look at the situation very carefully," he added, while hundreds of workers battled to repair the quake-battered nuclear reactor.
"You just don't know what's going to happen and things could get worse, so we have to change our plans accordingly."
Reuters
Labels: PRO GOLF
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Saturday, March 19, 2011
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