Golfweek - Golf News Magazine

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• Is the European Tour in Daly’s future?

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By ALISTAIR TAIT
Senior Writer

TURNBERRY, Scotland – The European Tour and PGA Tour could work together on joint ventures in the future, according to George O’Grady (pictured), executive director of the European Tour.

O’Grady would not be drawn on specifics but said talks between himself and PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem were ongoing.

“There’s nothing specific and not too much should be read into it at the moment, but Tim Finchem and I talk all the time,” O’Grady said. “We look at the world together.”

There has been talk of the PGA Tour following the European example and moving into the Asian market. The European Tour has been strong in the Far East for a considerable length of time, and it would make sense for both Tours to run events in that part of the world.

O’Grady dropped the hint while announcing five new events on the 2009 European Tour schedule. Fifty-three tournaments comprise a 2009 program that will visit 26 countries. The Tour starts Nov. 6 in Shanghai, China,  and will culminate with the $10 million Dubai World Championship next November.

New events include the Czech Golf Open, English Open, Canal + Open, Volvo World Match Play and the Dubai World Championship. The Dubai event concludes the inaugural “Race to Dubai” and includes a $10 million bonus pool for the top 15 players on the money list.

Eleven tournaments on the ‘09 schedule include the letters TBA, signifying that venues have not been signed up for these tournaments. However, O’Grady expected announcements on venues to be made shortly.

Given the current world financial turmoil, many expected next year’s schedule to suffer. That does not seem to be the case. Indeed, there could be more than 53 events next season.

“We’re aware of what’s going on in the world,” O’Grady said. “But we’re 98% sure the schedule is rock solid.”

Keith Waters, the European Tour’s director of international policy, said he expected the European Tour to add further events to next season’s schedule.

“Fifty three tournaments is the minimum we will have,” Waters said. “There could be an additional two or three events.”

Waters also said the Tour was in a strong position financially should any of the tournaments suffer from the worldwide credit crunch.

“We’re in a strong position to underwrite the financial position of tournaments,” he said.

The main reason the European Tour is sound financially stems from its partnership with Leisurecorp, the Dubai based company that owns Turnberry Hotel, Jumeirah Golf Estates and Pearl Valley Golf Estates in South Africa. Leisurecorp is pumping $100 million into the Race to Dubai over the next five years. In addition, they have set aside a $40 million treasure to support the European Tour.

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Alistair Tait is a Golfweek senior writer. To reach him e-mail atait@golfweek.com.

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2009 EUROPEAN TOUR SCHEDULE

Nov. 6-9
HSBC Champions
Sheshan International GC , Shanghai, China

Nov. 20-23
UBS Hong Kong Open
Hong Kong GC, Fanling, Hong Kong

Nov. 27-30
Australian Masters
Huntingdale GC, Melbourne, Australia

Dec. 11-14
Alfred Dunhill Championship
Leopard Creek GC, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Dec. 18-21
South African Open Championship
Pearl Valley Golf Estate, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa

Jan. 8-11
Joburg Open
Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, Johannesburg, South Africa

Jan. 15-18
The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Jan. 22-25
Commercialbank Qatar Masters Presented by Dolphin Energy
Doha GC, Doha, Qatar

Jan. 29-Feb. 1
Dubai Desert Classic
Emirates GC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Feb. 5-8
Emaar-MGF Indian Masters
Delhi GC, New Delhi, India

Feb. 12-15
Maybank Malaysian Open
TBD, TBD

Feb. 19-22
Johnnie Walker Classic
The Vines Resort & Country Club , Perth, Australia

Feb. 25-March 1
WGC - Accenture Match Play
Ritz-Carlton GC, Dove Mountain, Marana, Ariz., USA

Feb 26-March 1
Indonesia Open
New Kuta GC, Bali, Indonesia

March 12-15
WGC-CA Championship
Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Doral, Fla., USA

March 19-22
Madeira Islands Open BPI - Portugal
TBD, TBD

March 26-29
Open de Andalucia
TBD, TBD

April 2-5
Estoril Open de Portugal
Oitavos Dunes, Estoril, Portugal

April 9-12
The Masters
Augusta National, Augusta, Ga., USA

April 16-19
Volvo China Open
Beijing CBD International GC, Beijing, China

April 23-26
Ballantine’s Championship
Pinx GC, Jeju Island, South Korea

April 30-May 3
Open de Espana
TBD, TBD

May 7-10
Italian Open
TBD, TBD

May 14-17
The Irish Open
TBD, TBD

May 21-24
BMW PGA Championship
Wentworth Club, Surrey, England

May 28-31
The European Open
TBD, TBD

June 4-7
The Celtic Manor Wales Open
The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Wales

June 11-14
Austrian Golf Open
Fontana GC, Vienna, Austria

June 18-21
U.S. Open
Bethpage State Park (Black Course), Farmingdale, New York, USA

June 18-21
Saint-Omer Open presented by Neuflize OBC
Aa Saint Omer GC, Lumbres, France

June 25-28
BMW International Open
Golfclub München Eichenried, Munich, Germany

July 2-5
Open de France Alstom
Le Golf National, Paris, France

July 9-12
The Barclays Scottish Open
Loch Lomond GC, Glasgow, Scotland

July 16-19
British Open
Ailsa Course, Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland

July 23-26
SAS Masters
Barseback G&CC, Skane, Sweden

July 30-Aug. 2
Czech Golf Open
Prosper Golf Resort, âeladná, Czech Republic

Aug. 6-9
WGC - Bridgestone Invitational
Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio, USA

Aug. 13-16
PGA Championship
Hazeltine National GC, Chaska, Minn., USA

Aug. 13-16
The English Open
St Mellion International Resort, Cornwall, England

Aug. 20-23
The KLM Open
Kennemer G&CC, Zandvoort, Netherlands

Aug. 27-30
Johnnie Walker Championships at Gleneagles
The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland

Sept. 3-6
Omega European Masters
Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans, Switzerland

Sept. 10-13
Mercedes-Benz Championship
Golf Club Gut Lärchenhof, Cologne, Germany

Sept. 17-20
British Masters
TBD, TBD

Sept. 24-27
Canal + Open
TBD, TBD

Sept. 24-27
Volvo World Match Play Championship
Finca Cortesin GC, Malaga, Spain

Oct. 1-4
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Old Course, St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland

Oct. 8-11
Madrid Masters
Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Oct. 8-11
*Seve Trophy
TBD, TBD

Oct. 15-18
Portugal Masters
Oceanico Victoria Golf Course, Vilamoura, Portugal

Oct. 22-25
Castello Masters Costa Azahar
Club de Campo del Mediterraneo, Castellon, Spain

Oct. 29-Nov. 1
TBD
TBD, TBD

Nov. 5-8
HSBC Champions
Sheshan International GC , Shanghai, China

Nov. 12-15
UBS Hong Kong Open
Hong Kong GC, Fanling, Hong Kong

Nov. 19-22
The Dubai World Championship
Earth Course, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Nov. 26-29
*Omega Mission Hills World Cup
Mission Hills GC, China

*-unofficial event

Posted: 10/6/2008

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