Thailand to host new $2 million event

21 October 2014 01:01

Thailand will next year host a $2 million golf tournament co-sanctioned by the European Tour in what will be the richest golf event to be held in the kingdom, organisers said Tuesday.

The inaugural Thailand Classic will be staged near the southern beach resort town of Hua Hin between February 12-15, the Asian Tour said in a statement.

It will be the first event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the European Tour to be permanently based in Thailand.

"Thailand has been one of our strongest markets over the years and the addition of a new event will cement the nation's place as one of Asia's golfing giants," Asian Tour chairman Kyi Hla Han said in the statement.

The news is a boon to Thailand's sporting industry which was battered by months of political turmoil preceding a coup in May.

Several sporting events were cancelled amid mass street protests and intermittent violence, including the $1 million Thailand Golf Open scheduled for March.

Organisers of the Thailand Classic are hoping to lure global golf stars in addition to the expected strong local line-up.

Prize money earned at the Black Mountain Golf Club will be counted in the 2015 Race to Dubai, a year-long competition currently led by World Number One Rory McIlroy, the Asian Tour said.

Source: AFP