EUROPEAN AND ASIAN TOURS DEFEND THEIR POSITION

Statement on Behalf of The European Tour and the Asian Tour

 

With regard to the EurAsia Cup and The Seve Ballesteros Foundation

 

The European Tour and the Asian Tour very much regret comments made in a recent statement by the Royal Trophy organisers.

The inaugural EurAsia Cup was successfully launched yesterday at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in Malaysia and featured the highest qualified available players from both continents; Team Asia featuring players from Bangladesh, India, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand, while Team Europe featured players who, on selection, were all within the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Over the past few weeks there has been speculation and comment aimed at the EurAsia Cup. Much of this has centred on the question of why The European Tour and the Asian Tour are staging and are supportive of this tournament and not the Royal Trophy. 

There are three reasons.

1. While The European Tour and the Asian Tour fully respect the right of Entertainment Group (Asia) Ltd. to promote the Royal Trophy, this tournament is not sanctioned by either Tour, and indeed has not been sanctioned by either Tour since 2009. 

The sanction was declined due to the qualification criteria of the Royal Trophy and Entertainment Group (Asia) Ltd’s commercial strategy. Despite this, both Tours have been respectful to and supportive of the Royal Trophy by giving releases, without question, to players who have wanted to play in the event, even when staged at the same time as events on both Tours.
2. The European Tour and the Asian Tour proceeded to establish direct ownership of an organisation, which is directly responsible for staging a match – the EurAsia Cup – between players from both territories. 

This structure is 100% owned by these player organisations. The EurAsia Cup offers The European Tour and the Asian Tour an opportunity to further develop the game of golf in a part of the world where their existing relationship and partnership is already strong; a partnership which has existed since 1999.
3. The EurAsia Cup will provide a new platform to continue the considerable charitable work already undertaken on behalf of The Seve Ballesteros Foundation. Since 2010, The European Tour has raised over £1.2 million for the Foundation and that figure will be added to following the playing of the EurAsia Cup itself. 

To that end, The Seve Ballesteros Foundation fully supports the EurAsia Cup through its position as Official Charity. The Foundation, which holds all of Seve’s intellectual property, image and trademark rights, is run by Seve’s children and heirs, Javier, Miguel and Carmen. 

 The Seve Ballesteros Foundation has been clear in its private discussions with The European Tour and the Asian Tour that it fully supports the objectives of the EurAsia Cup and its desire to spread international interest in golf and major match play tournaments.
Just as The Ryder Cup delivers substantial benefit to The European Tour and to the countries chosen to host the match, it is the hope that as the EurAsia Cup develops, the locations chosen over the years to showcase the contest will also benefit from a similar legacy.

 

 

George O’Grady CBE                                      Kyi Hla Han

Chief Executive                                                Chairman

The European Tour                                         The Asian Tour