Montgomerie sees rash of Asian Major-winners

AFP/London

Scottish great Colin Montgomerie has backed Asia to produce half-a-dozen Major-winners over the next 10 years as the region’s golfers emerge from the shadows of the United States and Europe.

Montgomerie, an eight-time winner of the European order of merit, predicted a “massive geographical switch” with Asian players adding to their solitary Major so far, won by Y E Yang in 2009.

“We have four Major championships a year, so that’s 40 Majors in the next 10 years,” he said in a taped message to the Asia Pacific Golf Summit in Brunei, according to a press release from organisers yesterday. “In that period, I’d expect six or seven of those championships to be won by Asian players, if not more. That’s a massive geographical switch to the East.”

Since South Korea’s Yang held off Tiger Woods to claim a shock win at the US PGA Championship at Hazeltine in 2009, Asian players have yet to repeat the success. But Montgomerie, a frequent visitor to Asia as a player and course-designer, said it was just a matter of time before more Asian golfers were regular winners of the sport’s most coveted trophies. “The quality of Asian golfers has improved tremendously in recent years and it’s just a matter of time before we see more Major winners from Asia,” he said. Montgomerie sent the taped address after a foot injury stopped him travelling to the summit. The conference, involving 200 delegates, is part of a week of events in Brunei including the Royal Trophy team tournament, which starts on Friday.

Madeira event back on European Tour schedule

The European Tour has added the Madeira Islands Open to next year’s golf schedule, with the event being played in the same week as the World Match Play Championship in Bulgaria. The 21st edition of the Portuguese tournament is to be staged from May 16-19 at Santo da Serra and carries a total prize fund of 675,000 euros ($872,500).

Defending champion Ricardo Santos of Portugal will look to make it a title double next year. “The fact Ricardo has been named Rookie of the Year will serve to increase the excitement as we look forward to next year’s renewal,” the tour’s chief operating officer Keith Waters said in a statement yesterday.

Jeff the dinosaur scares Australian PGA away

The Australian PGA Championship will leave its traditional Queensland venue next year after the Coolum resort painted adverts on the fairways and put a giant replica dinosaur on the course. This year’s A$1.25 million ($1.3 million) tournament starts tomorrow’s but according to local media reports it was nearly scrapped after a dispute between the PGA and mining tycoon Clive Palmer, the resort’s new owner.

While late negotiations ensured the 2012 event would go ahead, players will be greeted by the sight of ‘Jeff’, a 20-metre long and eight metre-high dinosaur plonked between the ninth and 10th holes.

PGA chief executive Brian Thorburn said the tournament, one of four marquee events on Australia’s golf calendar, would move to another Queensland course in 2013 after an 11-year run at the Coolum because the resort would not meet sponsorship demands.

“Commerce plays a part in these things, you’ve got to make the books balance ... but emotionally it’ll be sad, the PGA’s had a great run here and we’re sorry to be leaving,” he said.

This year’s competitors will be allowed to lift and place their balls if they land on any of the 61 adverts and slogans painted on the fairways.

“Only about six to 10 of them are in landing zones and come into play,” added Thorburn. Players were amused by the course’s unusual decoration during practice rounds yesterday.

“It’s different, that’s for sure,” said 2011 British Open winner Darren Clarke. “But it’s fine, sponsors give us a lot and in this day and age you accept that it is what it is.”

Peter Senior, who won the Australian Open on Sunday, was also unfazed by Jeff the dinosaur. “It doesn’t worry me as long as it doesn’t crap everywhere,” he quipped. Billionaire businessman Palmer, who also has grand plans to build a replica of the Titanic, has had other brushes with professional sport.

Palmer launched soccer club Gold Coast United to much fanfare in the top-flight A-League in 2008 but the club were booted out earlier this year after the mining tycoon rowed with administrators.