It is known that the Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) recently entered into a strategic business agreement with the DP World (formerly European) Tour and included poison clauses without the knowledge of the players.
At the KPGA temporary board meeting on the 2nd, Nam Young-woo, director of the Asian Tour, was surprised to see the agreement with the DP World Tour signed by KPGA Chairman Koo Ja-cheol for the first time. This is because, according to the agreement, there was a provision that ‘when the KPGA holds an overseas tour and co-sponsored (co-sanction) tournament in Korea, it must obtain approval from DP World’.
If you interpret the phrase as it is,온라인카지노 it means that it is impossible without the approval of the European Tour when the Asian Tour, which is linked to Live Golf, holds a tournament jointly organized with the KPGA in Korea. Director Nam was devastated that despite the serious confrontation between the US Professional Golf (PGA) Tour and LIV Golf, sponsored by Saudi oil money, the decision was made without the consent of the players, which is subject to golf sovereignty.
Nam Young-woo, vice chairman of KPGA and director of the Asian Tour,
this was also known to Min-tan Jo, CEO of the Asian Tour, the next day. CEO Cho, who came to the site of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open, a tournament co-sponsored by the Korea Golf Association (KGA), said, “I have maintained a good relationship with the Korean Tour for 30 years, but it is difficult to accept such a sudden move.”
“There are 33 Korean players active on the Asian Tour with full seeds. Politics doesn’t help golf. For players who previously competed freely to be sanctioned or sanctioned by other tours in the future, it hinders the development of the sport.”
The Korean Tour and the Asian Tour have been in close contact since the 1960s under the name of the Asian Circuit. Founded in the 1980s, the Maekyung Open and the Shinhan Donghae Open both developed through cooperation between tours.
In particular, the Shinhan Donghae Open hosted by the KPGA Tour has a precedent of returning to the Asian Tour from the One Asia Tour in 2016. Therefore, the agreement between the KPGA executive branch and the DP World Tour could lead to opposition from sponsors.
DP World Korea Championship held for the first time in 10 years [Picture = KPGA]
KPGA’s exchange with the European Tour was the 2008 Valentine’s Championship, which was held for the first time in six years. After 10 years, this year, the PGA Tour-DP World hurriedly created the Korea Championship to check the spread of live golf’s influence in Asia. As for the DP World Tour, in return for making a tournament, it was a great achievement of the approval right of co-saction on Korean soil.
Director Nam said, “It’s good that the president, who was a businessman, came and increased the competition, but why did some of the secretariat decide important issues that will determine the players’ futures without consulting them?” In addition, it seems that clauses restricting Korean players from participating in the Asian Tour are hidden in various clauses of the agreement.
“Even before the agreement, one of the Genesis point recipients had already received the right to participate in the DP World, and Kim Young-soo is playing on the European stage. This time, up to 3 players in category 17 on the European tour are able to participate in European competitions with low prize money, but it is a lower benefit than those who passed Q School, and I do not know how many players will participate in the final round of Q School.”
The core of the problem lies in how much the player’s position is reflected in the decision-making process. The Asian Tour, which is run by players, puts the players’ opinions first when making important decisions. The partnership with Liv Golf last year was based on the players’ voluntary intentions and judgments.
At the Maekyung Open Awards Ceremony, Asian Tour CEO Cho Min-tan (second from the right) and KPGA Chairman Koo Ja-cheol [Photo = Asian Tour]
Director Nam said, “In the Asian Tour, even small decisions are heard by the 12 board of directors, but now KPGA is operated like a private company.” “If the Asian Tour needs the DP World Tour’s approval in the future when it holds a tournament in Korea, which sponsor would like it?” he said.
The KPGA puts forward the achievement of holding the Korea Championship, a co-sponsored tournament with the DP World Tour, by 2025. However, it is doubtful who will be able to welcome it if the result is in the form of stabbing a neighbor in the back of a friendly 30-year-old.
Most players do not know the truth about the agreement between the DP World Tour and the KPGA. Although the poison clause is hidden, there is also an opinion that welcomes ‘KPGA made European competition’. Although there were internal objections during the actual agreement process, it is known that they were ignored by Chairman Koo Ja-cheol and the KPGA executive, who were thirsty for successive appointments and achievements.
Direct or indirect damage can be done to Korean male players who have participated more in Asian tour events than in European competitions with benefits such as national exemption and Q school exemption. The Asian Tour International Series Korea tournament, which was held in August last year, will also not be held this year.
The KPGA executive’s lame operation and in-depth coverage of Chairman Koo Ja-cheol will be covered in detail on the JTBC golf talk program ‘Clubhouse’ at 9:00 pm on the 15th.
