As a PGA European Tour accredited photographer, I find reports suggesting the Hong Kong Open golf championship may lose its elite status as a PGA European Tour event very worrying.
This is a sad reflection on the lack of support from big business to sponsor professional sporting events.
Since the open became part of the European Tour its status in world golf has risen considerably, and the appeal of the city, the golf course on which the event is played and even the history of the event have helped attract some of the world's leading golfers to compete at Fanling. This has been fantastic for local golf fans and has led to many youngsters here taking up the sport.
The obvious sponsor of the open would be one of Hong Kong's leading property development companies, as their owners are without doubt the city's richest people (many are probably members of the Hong Kong Golf Club).
Putting up US$5 million or US$6 million, which would probably be tax deductible, would be pocket change to these companies, so why they don't step up to support this and other professional sporting events is a complete mystery.
Perhaps the government should force these super-rich companies to financially support local sport at all levels by levying a small vendors' tax on all new property transactions.