$1.6m WA golf event in limbo
The future of the $1.6 million Perth International - Australia's richest golf tournament - has not been secured beyond this weekend.
Talks between the European and Australasian Tours and golf promoters IMG Australia have been described by Eventscorp executive director Gwyn Dolphin as "positive".
Confirmation of the event's future will need to be announced soon if it is to be included in next year's golfing calendar.
It is understood the timing of the event is a major focus of the talks, with consideration given to holding the tournament at the start of the year. This would mean the next Perth International would be early in 2016.
This year's tournament, which started yesterday, is the third at the Lake Karrinyup Country Club and has attracted a strong field, including former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, former US PGA winner Jason Dufner and former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy.
IMG's golf director David Rollo said the event had developed a good reputation among players and sponsors.
"We've laid a solid foundation and I am confident we can develop this tournament into something special," Mr Rollo said. "It is already on the golfing radar.
"In its second year we saw international television coverage jump from 1400 to 2400 hours.
"If we can continue to develop the level of corporate support, it will mean we can develop the tournament and attract bigger and better players."
At the tournament's launch in 2011, then tourism minister Kim Hames said: "We have a three-year agreement for this tournament with options to continue, and our goal is to develop the Perth International into a feature event in the Asia-Pacific region that is anchored in Perth.
"Perth has a strong history of hosting successful international golf events, notably the Heineken Classic, Johnnie Walker Classic and the Lexus Cup, and this tournament will well and truly put the city back on the golfing map."
Acting Tourism Minister John Day confirmed yesterday that talks were continuing.
He said the event - the only Australian tournament co-sanctioned by the European and Australian tours -- had been broadcast into 473 million homes in 46 countries last year.
