The Macau Open is set to tee off once again, with casino money believed to be spinning the wheels behind a multimillion-dollar operation.
Tournament promoters and the Asian Tour are on the verge of signing a new deal that will see the popular event return after a one-year break.
'The Macau Open will probably be held in September,' a spokesman from the Macau Sports Development Board (SDB) said. 'We are still waiting for further details from the promoters and will make an announcement when things are confirmed.'
The tournament was cancelled last year after the Macau government-run SDB pulled the plug due to the high costs of running the event - estimated to be HK$10 million - and the failure to find a backer with deep pockets.
It is now believed a title sponsor has been found. Unconfirmed reports state casino operator Galaxy Entertainment, owners of the newly opened Galaxy Macau on the Cotai strip, is among the contenders.
'The Asian Tour has been in discussions with the Macau Open and talks are currently on-going to have the prestigious tournament on our schedule,' an Asian Tour official said yesterday.
The tournament could also have a new home, with Caesars Golf Macau, the semi-private 18-hole course on the southern end of the Cotai strip, a candidate to host the four-day event, slated for mid-September. The event was previously held at the Macau Golf and Country Club on Coloane.