OneAsia was established last year by bringing together tours from China, South Korea and Australia (AFP)
The OneAsia Tour Wednesday worked to salvage a boycott of its events by South Korean players, issuing an open letter urging them to rethink.
The OneAsia Tour Wednesday worked to salvage a boycott of its events by South Korean players, issuing an open letter urging them to rethink.
The letter, penned by chairman Sang Y. Chun and chief executive Ben Sellenger, followed the decision by 110 Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) players on Tuesday, who claimed OneAsia was not working on their behalf.
"The Korean Golf Tour and its members are very important to the development and success of OneAsia in developing Korean champions," the letter said.
"OneAsia seeks to supplement your existing playing opportunities on the KGT, and does not wish to and will never replace the KGT."
It warned that if the boycott was carried out at the Maekyung Open next week, KGT eligibility for all remaining OneAsia events would be removed.
"This is obviously the last resort and one which we would like to avoid at all cost."
The players said they were unhappy at the number of places available to locals at the Maekyung Open and the SK Telecom Open as well as OneAsia simply absorbing existing tournaments and offering nothing new.
Concern was also voiced that it was being dictated by commercial, and not player, interests.
The letter said there appeared to be "much misinformation and propaganda on these issues".
It said more than 90 positions would be made available to Koreans at the Maekyung tournament and 70 at the SK Telecom.
OneAsia also stressed it was not commercially owned.
"OneAsia is founded by the KPGA, the KGA, China Golf Association and PGA of Australia and has no commercial ownership," it said.
"The object of OneAsia is to maximise elite playing opportunities of the leading golfers from across the region."
OneAsia, whose vision is to offer an alternative playing platform to the US PGA and European Tours, was established last year by bringing together tours from China, South Korea and Australia.
It has a grand vision but has so far failed to get the influential Japan Golf Tour on board and is at loggerheads with the Asian Tour, which has accused it of stealing its tournaments.
© 2010 AFP/sid
