European Tour wants China Open golf on Asian Tour

03-24-2009 | AFP

Last week Asian Tour chief Kyi Hla Han severed all ties with the series

Panama Star The lucrative tournament has been jointly hosted by the European Tour, Asian Tour and China Golf Association since 2004 but this year became part of the "super series" of Asia-Pacific golf tournaments launched by OneAsia.

The move infuriated Asian Tour chief Kyi Hla Han who has accused OneAsia, comprising the Australian PGA, the China Golf Association, the Korea Golf Association and the Korea PGA, of "unethical" behavior.

Last week, he severed all ties with the series and no Asian Tour players will take part in the tournament which is headlined by Colin Montgomery.

Keith Waters, the European Tour's director of international policy, told AFP that retaining the status quo, with the Asian Tour as a partner, was the best way forward.

"The European Tour is in dialogue with all the parties concerned and is assisting where possible," he said. "When a new Tour, is formed and another Tour is removed at short notice from tournaments they have sanctioned for several years there are going to be issues that require some discussion.