European Tour and Asian Tour could ditch Hong Kong Open if part of Fanling Old Course is taken away
- Task Force on Land Supply recommends resuming 32 hectares of government land from Fanling club
- The 172-hectare course is on private recreational lease due to expire in 2020
The future of the US$2 million Hong Kong Open will be in jeopardy if the government takes back part of the Fanling Old Course as recommended by the Task Force on Land Supply, a senior golf official warned.
The flagship event at the Hong Kong Golf Club is co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours as one of the prominent tournaments in the region but the recent saga on the land use problem will affect its future status.
“It will definitely cast doubt on the future of the Hong Kong Open if part of the Old Course is taken away by the government,” said Hong Kong Golf Association chief executive Danny Lai. “Although the Hong Kong Open will not use the eight holes of the Old Course as part of the competition, the area does provide the essential supporting services.
“The tournament may not be sanctioned by the European Tour and Asian Tour because of a reduced size course.”
There are a number of community events held on that area during the Hong Kong Open while the fairways are also being used as car parks for the thousands of enthusiastic fans keen to watch world-class golfers in action.
