HONG Kong's hopes of a free passage into the 1995 Heineken World Cup of Golf in China have been scuppered.
With the US$1.2 million tournament being staged at the Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen in November, the local PGA had been confident of receiving an exemption.
However, the International Golf Association's (IGA) Burch Riber, executive director of the the tournament, said yesterday that Hong Kong would not be included among the 22 nations who are given automatic entry.
'As hosts, China will be exempt, but Hong Kong will have to take part in the Eastern Zone pre-qualifier in Thailand in October,' said Riber, who visited Mission Hills this week to check on the club's progress.
As was the case last year, Hong Kong are now likely to be among more than 20 countries vying for just four or five spots in the 36-hole qualifier for which there is no prizemoney on offer.
Riber said exemptions for the 32-nation tournament were based on the performances of individual countries in the previous five World Cup tournaments.
Although Hong Kong's golfers have not covered themselves in glory in recent finals, the PGA had hoped the proximity of the territory to Shenzhen and the local interest their participation would generate would have been looked upon favourably.
