Asian Tour Commissioner Cho Minn Thant is quietly-confident the main trio of bodies hosting men’s professional will soon return to being each on the same page.
Thant has been at the helm of golf’s third biggest tour since 2018 and having worked prior to that as the Tour’s Chief Operating Officer.
And is a hopeful sign of better times ahead, it has been the Asian Tour first to welcome members of the breakaway LIV Golf on the Asian Tour and in a move through the highly-successful International Series.
It also has been a move that golf fans the world over have applauded as setting the example in the hope that the bigger picture finally sees an end to the friction in the game, and avoid headlines of players being fined millions of dollars because they choose to play where they so desire.
“In looking at the bigger men’s pro golf picture I am quietly in that all tours will get back onto a same page, and even there is merger and if were a collaboration agreement and we choose to do our things, and there’s not too much friction between the two parties that would be great”, said Thant.
Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant – Image Asian Tour.
“That means not being fined and they enjoy the freedom that they can choose where they wish to play and TV broadcasters being in a position to broadcast all three products – the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the Asian Tour.”
As one of men’s pro golf ‘big three’ Thant was asked what is the current relationship between the PGA Tour and DP World Tour with the Asian Tour.
“We’ve had limited contact with the PGA Tour for quite a while now, and even before and if there wasn’t this friction”, he said.
“Our only real contact with the PGA was through the WGCs and also when we co-sanctioned the CIMB Classic, so it was quite limited to begin in.
“I know they are in direct discussions with the PIF but our main contact is obviously LIV and we do what we do with LIV.
“We talk to Australia quite a bit with our crossover of members and we do what we do with them and our International Series. We do a lot of work with the Japan Tour as we have a lot of Japanese members and the Korean Tour in co-sanctioning three events, as well.
“So, there is not a lot of dialogue between us and the PGA Tour and as for the DP World Tour with have contact with Guy (Kinnings, Chairman & CEO European Tour Enterprises) and his team, as we have to look at our schedules to make sure major events don’t clash in the same region, so we try to avoid that, if we can”.
What is clearly strong, and greatly helping the profile of the Asian Tour is the Tour’s relationship with LIV Golf, and as evident this week here in Riyadh and where some 40-plus LIV golfers teed-up in the PIF Saudi International.
The Tour signed a 10-year arrangement with LIV Golf but as Thant qualified is a ‘five-five’ relationship.
“It is a five and five relationship. This is the four-year of the opening five-year relationship but even from the get-go, we always announced it as a 10-year arrangement and I am confident that is going to continue”, he said.
“We had the good news this week that the leading India firm PLF and their sponsorship from next year of the International Series India.
“It’s good that LIV players like and want to play on the Asian Tour, and that they can choose where to play, and hopefully that softens a little bit going into next year and beyond.
“It was good to see the Stingers team was teeing-up in Qatar last week. I know they will be supporting Johan Rupert next week at Leopard Creek. Joaquin Niemann was down in Australia last week defending his Australian Open title, and now he’s competing this week here in Saudi
“So, too are members of the Ripper side so nearly everyone is travelling a little bit more and venturing outside of their home tour.
“As we head into a New Year everything is positive while we are trying to finalise the International Series locations and that should be formally announced next week
“We had the good news this week that the leading India firm PLF and their sponsorship from next year of the International Series India.
“So, that’s good to see that companies like DLF are working with both parties, as well.
“It is also great to see that companies don’t have to choose sides anymore and they do what is best for them. Rolex has been doing that for many years as they sponsor the Asian Tour, the DP World Tour, the PGA Tour and all the majors.
“Hopefully, this is a sign of better things to come”.
And in talking of good news, the Asian Tour will next week announce their 2025 tournament schedule.
“We will announce 20 to 21 tournaments next week but we want to hit a schedule boasting 25 events and that will be for our own Asian Tour members, the guys from LIV Golf who can join us”, Thant said.
“I have been on the Asian Tour for 18-years and I have been in the CEO role since 2019 and before that as Chief Operating Officer. So, I’ve been through it all.
“Next year will be our 20th season. We looked at our best year in terms of tournaments and that was 2008 and we hosted 28 tournaments that year but a lot of the tournaments that year were co-sanctioned with the then European Tour and three of them co-sanctioned with the Japan Tour, and the one tournament, the CIMB Classic in Malaysia and a joint Asian Tour/PGA Tour event.
“The average prize purse for a full field Asian Tour tournament that year was $650,000.
“Now fast forward to this year and an average prize purse is $1.49m and that has been without any co-sanctioned events.
“What is also further rewarding is that most of the Asian Tour tournaments are full field and we do not have to split if full field as we had to under co-sanctioning”.
And here is my own thanks to the Asian Tour as the Tour has always been so welcoming in thanking me in making the effort, over so many years, in supporting their tournaments.
