|
The
Asean Golf Tour and Daimler Southeast Asia announced in
a press conference on Tuesday the launch of an
integrated and comprehensive partnership whereby the
Mercedes-Benz brand, through its Philippine exclusive
distributor CATS Motors Inc., will become the official
title sponsor of the Tour for three years through 2010.
As part
of the three-year deal entered into by the worldwide
leader in the luxury-automotive business, Daimler will
work hand in hand with the second-year Asean Golf Tour
for the staging of at least 10 professional tournaments,
with each having a guaranteed prize money of $50,000 or
about P2 million.
The
inaugural leg opens with the Mercedes-Benz Masters
Indonesia from May 14 to 17. Next on the list is the
Mercedes-Benz Masters Philippines slated to be held at
the rolling Tagaytay Midlands Golf and Country Club from
May 22 to 25.
“The
importance of golf here in the Asean is underlined by
the many activities that Mercedes-Benz is driving in
this part of the world. This is an exciting year for us
and our involvement in local, regional and global golf
tournaments,” Joechen Carle, vice president of GD
Markets and Southeast Asia of Daimler SEA Singapore,
said in a press briefing held at the CATS Motors show
room in Global City.
Carle
also said: “In CATS Motors, we have found a committed
partner and very pleased that we share the same passion
for golf and the Mercedes-Benz brand values.”
“At
Mercedes-Benz, we pride ourselves on performance,
passion and precision, which are consistent brand values
which have propelled Mercedes-Benz to the top of the
premium luxury-automobile segment in Singapore with
strong presence across Southeast Asia,” also added Dr.
Rainer Thiel, president and CEO of Daimler Southeast
Asia Pte. Ltd.
The
German auto giant enjoys a close bond with the game of
golf at the global, regional and local levels. They are
particularly proud of The Mercedes-Benz Championship in
Hawaii, which is the curtain-raiser on the US PGA Tour,
and the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Germany, which is
part of the European Tour.
The
Asean Golf Tour was conceptualized in 2006 with the
mission of providing greater and equal opportunities for
veteran and rising golf professionals from the Asean
Region—particularly Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore,
Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.
However,
it was only last year that it took off. A total of five
events, each carrying a prize money worth $30,000,
except for the $50,000 season-ender, were held that
included the Mount Malarayat Championship held at the
Mount Malarayat in Lipa City, Batangas.
With two
tournaments set in the country this year, the other
being the ICTSI Mount Malarayat Championship in July,
Asean Golf Tour chairman AC Wong is ecstatic with
Mercedes-Benz onboard.
“The
Philippines is one of the strongholds of Asean golf and
we are therefore delighted to be heading here. The
country’s players have performed with distinction so
far. We are extremely proud that our Tour has grown so
quickly in a short period of time. We are especially
indebted to Mercedes-Benz and CATS Motors for choosing
to become our title sponsor,” Wong said.
Wong
also said: “Thanks to the support of Mercedes-Benz, we
are now in a position to change the face of professional
golf in Southeast Asia. The concept of this Tour was
always a sound and noble one, and something that has
quickly caught the eye of the corporate world.”
Equally
excited with this landmark development is CATS Motors
chairman Greg Yu and president Felix Ang, also important
movers of the partnership.
“CATS
Motors is proud to be involved in the Mercedes-Benz
Masters Philippines. We have always believed that
Mercedes-Benz and golf fit very well together,” Yu
stated.
“We are
looking forward to the Mercedes-Benz participation in
the Asean Region which is elevating to the professional
level with the Mercedes-Benz Tour, with the Philippines
as one of the key stops,” Ang added.
Mars
favored again
Based on
the 2007 Order of Merit by the Asean Golf Tour, Filipino
star Marciano “Mars” Pucay will start the Tour’s season
ranked No. 1 built around his two championships via the
Mercedes-Benz Championship in Vietnam and the Mount
Malarayat Championship. He finished on top of the OM
with earnings valued at $15,166 (or about P0.62
million).
But
Angelo Que is not too far behind. The reigning
Philippine Open champion, who claimed the Laguna
National Asean Championships in Singapore, settled for
second in the OM with $14,084 (P0.58 million).
“The RP
Open crown is just like any other tournament win. I
could use it as a springboard to win more, especially
with the efforts of the Asean Golf Tour, which has lined
up several events for 2008,” Que told the BusinessMirror.
Carito
group seeded
The
Touring Professional Golfers Association of the
Philippines (TPGAP) has been tapped by the Asean Golf
Tour as the lead pro group in the seeding for the two
Philippine legs at Tagaytay Midlands and Mount Malarayat.
According to TPGAP vice president Carito Villaroman, a
total of at least 60 players from the TPGAP will be on
the priority list for the tournament. The remaining 10
will be contested by the non-TPGAP members, most likely
through a one-day qualifying round.
“Just
like in the Asian Tour, the TPGAP is the one considered
by the Asean Golf Tour. Our members are very happy
because we will have more tournaments to play in,”
Villaroman told the BusinessMirror. |
