Hong Kong Golf Club saves Open from the scrapheap
HKGC injects the lion's share of the US$1.3 million prize money to keep the event going
The star-less Hong Kong Open might have been cancelled but for the Hong Kong Golf Club’s decision to put up a “major share” of the prize money, the top official at the Fanling club has revealed.
Sidney Cheng, the club captain, insisted it had nothing to do with trying to get into the good books of the public – the course faces an uncertain future with the government looking at ploughing it up for housing.
“If we hadn’t stepped in, the Hong Kong Open was in danger of not being held,” Cheng said. “We came up with a major portion of the US$1.3 million prize money because from our point of view it was important that this tournament continues.
“Our involvement [financially] for the first time in this event has nothing to do with what went on with the government regarding our lease. That had no part at all and it was just the timing of the tournament failing to secure a title sponsor. These were two separate issues totally,” said Cheng, speaking for the first time on the contentious issue.
In July, Secretary for Development Paul Chan Mo-po said there was scope for reviewing the use of the 170 hectares of land at Fanling occupied by the club, the host since 1959 of Asia’s oldest professional golf tournament.
The existing lease runs until 2020 and Cheng was adamant the club and the Open were safe until then.
“I don’t want to discuss these issues. This is not on the table now and there is no discussion on land issues with the government at the moment,” Cheng said. “As far as we understand the lease is currently secure and the Hong Kong Open will continue here as long as we can manage it.”
Jonathan McKinley, deputy secretary for Home Affairs, confirmed that the short-term future of the club was safe.
“At present there is no government proposal to do anything with the Hong Kong Golf Club site in Fanling. I don’t know if other departments might have long-term views, but I am sure that there is nothing proposed right now,” McKinley said.
But the talk around the course is that seven holes of the old course across the road from the club, used for parking during the annual showpiece, could be lost for housing. It is also believed that a new, three-lane highway could strip away the 18th hole of the old course, which adjoins the putting green and the club house.
Cheng refused to comment, saying the focus should be on the tournament and the players.
“We got involved because this tournament has gone on for 54 years, this being the 55th, and it is to the benefit of Hong Kong to have such a world-class event. It is also important to have an unblemished record. This is only one of three such events in the world where a national tournament has been held at the same venue,” Cheng said.
William Chung Pui-lam, president of the Hong Kong Golf Association, has said growth of the game – now an Olympic sport – would suffer if the HKGC’s three-course facility were lost to housing. “Any disruption would certainly have a detrimental effect [on the development of the game in Hong Kong],” Chung said.
