SPEECH BY MR S ISWARAN MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AT THE OPENING OF THE ASIAN TOUR HEADQUARTERS AT SENTOSA 14 AUGUST 2007, 12NOON AT 5 BUKIT MANIS, SENTOSA
Mr Kyi Hla Han,Executive Chairman, Asian Tour
Dr Loo Choon Yong, Chairman, Sentosa Development Corporation
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen
It gives me great pleasure to join you today for the opening of Asian Tour’s new home in Sentosa. This move by Asian Tour will certainly give a boost to the golfing landscape, in Singapore and the entire region. It will also generate better playing opportunities for established and emerging Asian golfers.
Asian Tour and Sentosa have been in close collaboration for the past three years. The relocation of Asian Tour’s headquarters to Sentosa is quite apt as it is in close proximity to Sentosa Golf Club, home to the prestigious Barclays Singapore Open, which will be held at the Serapong course in November this year.
Sentosa will make an ideal partner for Asian Tour.The Sentosa Golf Club was voted Host Venue of the Year in 2006 by the members of Asian Tour.Both its twin-championship golf courses have won a number of accolades from the Asian golfing fraternity. In 2006, Asian Golf Monthly recognised the club’s Serapong course as the ‘Best Championship Course in Asia’ and the ‘Best Course in Singapore’ for the second year running. The club’s Tanjong course has also been ranked among the Top 5 courses in Singapore.
On a broader note, the strategic masterplan to rejuvenate Sentosa has also shown strong results.The island resort welcomed a record 5.68 million visitors last year. This is a 10% increase from 2005. Moving forward, the addition of the Asian Tour golfing events on Sentosa will not only be a treat for all golfing fans in Singapore but also add vibrancy to the sports scene in Sentosa and Singapore.In addition, the hosting of prestigious international golf tournaments will enhance the international profile of Sentosa and further increase its visitor drawing power.
Asian golfers, including Singapore’s Mardan Mamat and Lam Chih Bing, are among those who are increasingly making their mark on the international golfing stage.I am confident Asian Tour, in partnership with Sentosa, will bring even more Singaporean and Asian golfers into the international limelight.
I have also been told the good news that Asian Tour will achieve an all-time high season in 2007, staging 27 tournaments and offering an unprecedented US$27million in total prize money!This will attract more top quality Asian talent to the sport.
Let me conclude by offering my congratulations to Asian Tour and Sentosa on this collaboration.This move will very quickly set a new benchmark for the region’s golf tournament offerings and enhance the overall attractiveness of Sentosa. I wish you all the best.