Johor Bahru, Malaysia, May 6 2010 – The Iskandar Johor Open (IJO) has received a huge boost from the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) which has extended its title sponsorship by another five years, officials announced today.
The Organising Committee of the Iskandar Johor Open also said it was working towards a joint sanction agreement with EurAsia Golf Ltd, which is the innovative alliance between the Asian Tour and the European Tour, from 2011 onwards.
“Securing the joint sanction has been a dream of the organising committee from the beginning and we have been working very closely with IMG, the event promoter, to secure this. We are pleased to say that we are very close to finalizing the deal,” said Chairman of the IJO organizing committee and Chief Minister of Johor, Y.A.B Dato’ Haji Abdul Ghani bin Othman.
“For the past two years, the tournament has been held in or around the last week of October and we had planned to maintain this date. However, in order to secure the joint sanction, the IJO will be held in 2011 at a different time. As the Iskandar Johor Open clashes with another event in Kuala Lumpur this year, we felt it was in the best interest of Malaysian golf to move the dates from 2010 onwards. The tournament will now be held from 14 to 17 October, 2010 in Johor Bahru. This will give Malaysian players even more opportunities to shine at home.
“When we first set out to create this event, one of the leading goals of the organising committee was for the tournament to be an instrument for the growth of golf in Malaysia. We are well on our way towards achieving this. Having so many world class tournaments in our country should be celebrated as these events not only present opportunities for our talented up-and-coming Malaysian players to pit their skills against world class golfers but also for golf fans in Malaysia to take in world class action in their own backyards. It is an opportunity for the world to see what a wonderful place Malaysia is to watch and play golf in.
“We look forward to hosting the region’s best players at the Iskandar Johor Open which is steadily establishing itself as a marquee event of the Asian Tour and we’re looking forward to welcoming it back in October,” added the Chief Minister.
The IJO encourages Malaysian players to showcase their talents at home and from the onset it has held qualifiers for Malaysian pros and given young Malaysian amateurs the opportunity to play alongside players of international stature such as 2008 champion Retief Goosen and defending champion, K.J. Choi. This is evident from the performance of promising 16 year old junior golfer Gavin Kyle Green, who went from missing the cut in 2007 to becoming the highest ranked amateur in last year’s event.
The tournament has constantly enjoyed the participation of the cream of Malaysian professional golf such as Danny Chia, Iain Steel, Ben Leong and Airil Rizman as well as playing host to many rising Asian Tour stars, such as India’s Himmat Rai, Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat and reigning Maybank Malaysian Open champion Noh Seung-yul of Korea, to name a few.
Title sponsor IRDA, the main statutory body tasked with developing Iskandar Malaysia, the southern development corridor, is delighted to commit to another five years of sponsorship for the tournament.
“We are pleased to confirm our commitment to this tournament for an additional five years. The increasingly international profile of the IJO is helping to put Iskandar Malaysia on the world golfing and lifestyle map. Iskandar Malaysia has tremendous potential to be a golfers’ paradise with 28 golf courses in the state. This is a significant component of a plan to create a major holiday and recreation destination. The vast tourism potential offered by golf is something that we recognize and acknowledge. We have nothing but high praise for our experience with the IJO and we have plans to make the tournament even bigger and better in our fourth outing,” commented CEO of IRDA, En Ismail Ibrahim.
The 2010 tournament will be sanctioned once again by the Asian Tour, the official regional sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia and the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. The IJO has one of the biggest prize purses on the Asian Tour calendar and the success of this tournament clearly demonstrates the commitment and value that sponsors enjoy on the Asian Tour.
Kyi Hla Han, Executive Chairman, Asian Tour said: ““Since its inception in 2007, the Iskandar Johor Open has grown into a truly great championship on the Asian Tour and on behalf of our talented players, I would like to extend our fullest appreciation to the Chief Minister and the Iskandar Regional Development Authority for their outstanding support and commitment towards professional golf in Asia.
“It is wonderful news indeed that IRDA has extended its sponsorship by another five years, which will reinforce the foundation for the Iskandar Johor Open to become one of the biggest events in Asia.
“In the first three editions, we welcomed great champions in Artemio Murakami, Retief Goosen and K.J. Choi and we look forward to another memorable week of golf. The staging of the Iskandar Johor Open has clearly placed Johor and Malaysia on the international golf map through the Asian Tour’s television platform which reaches out to 400 million people in over 40 countries around the world.”
“The face of men’s professional golf is changing rapidly. Thanks in part to the Asian Tour’s efforts, Asian golf is going through a golden period now and Malaysia is at the forefront of this,” commented Grant Slack, Vice President of the Golf Division, IMG.
The Iskandar Johor Open
The inaugural edition of the Iskandar Johor Open kicked off in August 2007. Held at the Royal Johor Country Club (RJCC) in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, it carried a prize purse of USD$300,000 and the honour of hoisting the trophy for the first time fell to Artemio Murakami of the Philippines. In October 2008, the championship offered an improved purse of USD$500,000 and South African Retief Goosen went on to clinch the coveted trophy at RJCC. 2009 marked a milestone in the history of the Iskandar Johor Open, with a 100% increase in prize money to USD$1,000,000, certainly pointing to the tournament’s growing stature. It was won by Korean K.J. Choi, who triumphed over rising Indian star Himmat Rai and defending champion Retief Goosen.
Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA)
Iskandar Malaysia is set to become Southern Peninsular Malaysia's most developed region, where living, entertainment, environment and business seamlessly converge within a bustling and vibrant metropolis. The Iskandar Regional Development Authority is the statutory body tasked with realizing the vision of developing Iskandar Malaysia.
IMG Sports & Entertainment
Operating in 30 countries, IMG Sports & Entertainment’s diverse businesses include: consulting services; event ownership and management; fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic and action sports. IMG Academies are the world's largest, multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year.
More information about IMG is available at www.imgworld.com.
The Asian Tour
As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include J.Lindeberg (Official Apparel Partner), Ricoh (Official Office Solutions Provider), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Royal Selangor (Official Trophy Supplier) and Srixon (Official Ball). Sentosa, Singapore’s premier island resort getaway, is the Home of the Asian Tour.
