Luxury carmaker DaimlerChrysler is taking to the Hong Kong courts to try to force golf event organiser, the Asian PGA Tour, to make it an official sponsor of a forthcoming tournament because of an agreement the car giant says was struck by e-mail. The Singapore Masters 2001 is scheduled to take place between February 22 and 25, and DaimlerChrysler says it has a contract with the PGA to be the event's official automobile sponsor. Lawyers for DaimlerChrysler Southeast Asia filed a High Court writ against the PGA on Friday. The writ revolves around an e-mail allegedly sent by the PGA's Jon Lefebvre to Sharon Lee of DaimlerChrysler on August 25, offering to appoint the carmaker as the official car sponsor of the Singapore event. DaimlerChrysler was asked to contribute US$200,000 (HK$1.5 million) towards the cost of the tournament, and was also given an option to renew sponsorship for the following two years on payment of US$220,000 and US$242,000 respectively, the writ says. The terms were set out in a document entitled 'Mercedes-Benz Singapore Masters 2001-2003' and submitted by the car giant to the Asian PGA Tour, it says. Ms Lee, on behalf of DaimlerChrysler, is said to have accepted the offer during a phone conversation with Mr Lefebvre on September 28. Mr Lefebvre is said to have confirmed the company's acceptance in an e-mail to Ms Lee the same day, bringing into existence the contract, according to the writ. But the Asian PGA Tour has yet to announce Daimler-Chrysler as the official sponsor despite repeated requests, it says. Without giving details, DaimlerChrysler alleges it has since suffered loss and damage. The company says if the sponsorship does not go ahead, it stands to suffer 'substantial losses of profit and/or goodwill which would have accrued to it by reason of the publicity'. The offices of Asian PGA Tour in Hong Kong and Singapore did not return calls for comment last night.
