Joachim Schmidt, President and CEO of Daimler Chrysler Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia, touches the logo of Mercedes-Benz new "C-Class" car during its launch at the Auto Expo in New Delhi January 9, 2008. Mercedes-Benz has thrown its considerable financial muscle behind a fledgling regional golf tour aimed at developing talent in Southeast Asia.REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
Tue Mar 4, 2008
By Ossian Shine
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - German automaker Mercedes-Benz has thrown its considerable financial muscle behind a fledgling regional golf tour aimed at developing talent in Southeast Asia.
Mercedes were on Tuesday unveiled as tour title sponsor of the ASEAN Golf Tour and, although neither the sponsor nor the tour would reveal the exact sum of sponsorship, an insider told Reuters it was a "seven-figure U.S. dollar deal".
The tour will feature 10 events in this its first full year, and they will be played in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.
"There is a possibility that we will add several more this year," chairman of the tour, AC Wong, told reporters at a news conference. "We are in the process of engaging Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Brunei. It is my hope that we will soon host a tournament in each one of the 10 ASEAN nations.
ASEAN -- the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- is a geo-political and economic organization of 10 nations: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The first event of the 2008 tour will take place in Malaysia from May 15-18.
The season-ending Tour Championship will be played in Bangkok from November 27-30.
News of the tour's launch was welcomed by professionals across the region.
"The circuit is an ideal breeding ground for young players."
Only golfers resident in an ASEAN country will be eligible for the tour, Wong said, and there is no plan to offer places to golfers from outside the region.
"Our priority is to develop the talent in the region," he smiled.
(Editing by Martin Petty)
By Ossian Shine
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - German automaker Mercedes-Benz has thrown its considerable financial muscle behind a fledgling regional golf tour aimed at developing talent in Southeast Asia.
Mercedes were on Tuesday unveiled as tour title sponsor of the ASEAN Golf Tour and, although neither the sponsor nor the tour would reveal the exact sum of sponsorship, an insider told Reuters it was a "seven-figure U.S. dollar deal".
The tour will feature 10 events in this its first full year, and they will be played in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.
"There is a possibility that we will add several more this year," chairman of the tour, AC Wong, told reporters at a news conference. "We are in the process of engaging Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Brunei. It is my hope that we will soon host a tournament in each one of the 10 ASEAN nations.
ASEAN -- the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- is a geo-political and economic organization of 10 nations: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The first event of the 2008 tour will take place in Malaysia from May 15-18.
The season-ending Tour Championship will be played in Bangkok from November 27-30.
News of the tour's launch was welcomed by professionals across the region.
"The circuit is an ideal breeding ground for young players."
Only golfers resident in an ASEAN country will be eligible for the tour, Wong said, and there is no plan to offer places to golfers from outside the region.
"Our priority is to develop the talent in the region," he smiled.
(Editing by Martin Petty)
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