The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Stand-off likely to be resolved soon

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Tuesday, Sep 18, 2007
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Sport - Golf

Stand-off likely to be resolved soon

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Ernie Els, Henrik Stenson, Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood, Thomas Bjorn and Jeev Milkha Singh will be “available” for the $2.5 million Emaar MGF Indian Masters golf next February but question marks still remains over the participation of the leading names from the Asian and Indian Tour.

The list of participants for the first ever European Tour event that opens at the Delhi Golf Club course on February 7 is yet to be confirmed. The richest sporting event in the history of Indian sports, however, is likely to be given a miss by names like Jyoti Randhawa, Gaurav Ghei and several other home grown champions if the European Tour officials and their Asian Tour counterparts do not come to an agreement over the sharing of spots of the 126-man field.

As things stand, neither the Asian Tour nor the Professional Golf Tour of India is part of the event. Negotiations since June have failed to bring the two sides to an agreement.

Last offer

Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of the launch of the event here on Monday, the European Tour Chief Executive George O’Grady said, “our last offer to the Asian Tour and the PGTI is a total of 46 spots, two for amateurs and eight as sponsors invitees in the field of 126. They have been asking for 50 per cent of the spots which is not acceptable.”

Like Mr. O’Grady, the European Tour’s Director of International Policy, Mr. Keith Waters, who was negotiating with the Asian Tour, remained optimistic that the standoff would end “in a day or even a month.”

It is learnt that the Asian Tour and the PGTI has been demanding 54 spots, excluding nine for those Asians who enjoy exemptions on the European Tour. On the other hand, the European Tour’s offer of 46 spots includes those nine in the exempt category.

When asked about the possibility of European Tour offering 54 spots including nine exemptions to the Asian Tour and PGTI, Mr. Waters said, “not as of now… but may be.”

When asked about not inviting a representative from the Asian Tour or the PGTI to Monday’s launch, Mr. O’Grady graciously admitted, “it is a shame on our part.” He maintained that he was hopeful of a settlement in the interest of Indian golf.

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