The Asian Tour International Ltd. (AT), the governing body of pro golf in the region, has taken over the rights to organize, manage and underwrite the RP Open for the next three years, ensuring the continued and smooth staging of Asia’s oldest and the country’s premier golf championship beginning with its 90th edition on May 25-28.
In an unprecedented move, the National Golf Association of the Phils. (NGAP), which owns the exclusive right to the RP Open, has agreed to grant the event’s commercial rights to the AT, which will now host, sanction, finance and stage the event under its own terms.
In return, the AT will pay the NGAP the event rights fees worth $15,000 this year, $20,000 in 2007 and $30,000 in 2008. The AT also reserves the right to extend the contract to year 2010.
"This is a historic moment for the Philippine Open and we promise to elevate the event to a new level," said Patrick Young, director of Tour Development of the AT, during the contract-signing at the Villamor Golf Club yesterday.
Under the agreement, the minimum prize money for this year’s RP Open will be $200,000 although it will be raised to $300,000 next year and $400,000 in 2008. The AT-sanctioned tournaments allow the performance of participating players to count on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and towards the world golf ranking, thus giving the local pros the motivation to further raise the level of their respective games.
In fact, Young promised to bring in world-class players to the Open, including eight of the top 10 in the OOM.
"I am very sure this will be good for RP golf," said Benny Gopez, the outgoing NGAP president, when asked if the move would help boost local golf.
The decision to hand the event rights to the AT came one week before the NGAP holds its elections although NGAP officials said they see no problem in the change of leadership.
However, although the original playdate has been retained, the venue will be changed with Wack Wack looming as AT’s top choice due to its world-class facilities, championship layout, readiness to host such top-level tournaments and location.
Pueblo de Oro in Cagayan de Oro was the original choice but the NGAP and the AT have decided to move it here with barely two months left to organize such big event with 29 countries expected to participate.
The hitch, however, is that Wack Wack is not an NGAP-member club, a requirement for one to be considered host of the Open.