Golf: Asian Tour announces 2012 schedule

KUALA LUMPUR—The Asian Tour Wednesday announced its 2012 schedule, which will consist of a minimum of 26 tournaments across Asia and as far as Switzerland, with the region’s top players shooting for a total prize fund in excess of $40 million.

Asian Tour chairman Kyi Hla Han said discussions were also in progress to add several other tournaments to the schedule.

“Our well-established and proven Tour structure will continue to deliver world-class performances and tournaments throughout our new season as well as unearth new champions and players through the tournaments on the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour,” he said. The development tour is aimed at nurturing new talents.

The Asian Tour’s Qualifying School attracted 579 golfers from all over the world to Thailand two weeks ago, which Han said was another strong endorsement of the Tour’s mission to grow professional golf across the region.

“As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, we will continue to create vast playing opportunities for players from all around the world,” Kyi Hla Han said.

“It will be another exciting year for us as we steam ahead with our tournaments,” he said.

The 2012 season starts on Thursday with the Zaykabar Myanmar Open in Yangon.

2012 ASIAN TOUR SCHEDULE

Feb. 2-5: Zaykabar Myanmar Open, Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club, Yangon

Feb. 9-12: ICTSI Philippine Open, Wack Wack Golf and Country Club, Manila

Feb. 16-19: Avantha Masters, DLF Golf and Country Club, Gurgaon, India

Feb. 22-25: SAIL Open, Delhi Golf Club, New Delhi, India

March 14-17: Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic, venue TBA

March 29-Apr 1: Panasonic Open India, Delhi Golf Club, New Delhi

April 5-8: ISPS Handa Singapore Classic, Orchid Country Club

April 12-15: Maybank Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club

April 19-22: Indonesian Masters presented by PNTS, Royale Jakarta Golf Club

April 26-29: Ballantines’ Championship, Blackstone Resort, Seoul, South Korea

June 14-17: Queen’s Cup, Santiburi Samui Country Club, Samui, Thailand

Aug. 30-Sept 2: Omega European Masters, Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, Switzerland

Sept. 5-8: Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters, Kota Permai Golf and Country Club, Shah Aalam, Malaysia

Sept. 13-16: Yeangder Tournament Players Championship, Linkou International Golf and Country Club, Taipei, Taiwan

Sept. 20-23: Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, Higashi Hirono Golf Club, Hyogo, Japan

Oct. 4-7: CJ Invitational hosted by K.J. Choi, Haesley Nine Bridges Golf Club, Seoul

Oct. 25-28: CIMB Asia Pacific Classic, Malaysia, Mines Resort and Golf Club, Kuala Lumpur

Nov. 1-4: WGC-HSBC Champions, venue TBA

Nov. 1-4: Mercuries Taiwan Masters, Taiwan Golf and Country Club

Nov. 8-11: Barclays Singapore Open, Sentosa Golf Club

Nov 15-18: Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong Golf Club

Nov 22-25: King’s Cup, venue TBA, Thailand

Dec 6-9: Thailand Golf Championship, Amata Spring Country Club

Dec 13-16: Event to be announced

Events with dates to be confirmed:

Macau Open, Macau Golf and Country Club

Hero Indian Open, Delhi Golf Club