Hong Kong Open likely to switch dates to avoid another clash with Hong Kong International Races
Organisers trying hard to move date with the ‘week before or the week after’ looking the most likely, says highly placed source
Organisers of the UBS Hong Kong Open are “doing all we can” to find a new date for next year to avoid another clash with the Longines Hong Kong International Races.
“We are doing all we can,” said a highly placed source from one of the stakeholders. “I’d say there is an 80 per cent chance, with the week before or the week after looking the most likely.”
The Hong Kong Jockey Club turned up the pressure on the European Tour, the title sponsors, and Hong Kong Golf Club by saying it is “not in the best interests of both events” to be held in the same week.
Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges then added fuel to the fire by saying after Sunday’s meeting: “I only can say the HKIR is the greatest show on turf and that includes the golf.”
He then used the decision by 2015 Hong Kong Open champion Rose to head to Sha Tin following the end of his fourth round on Sunday to underline his stance, saying: “And it looks like Justin Rose knows it, too.”
The European Tour would only say it is looking at the “best available dates” for Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event that has been bounced around various months in the past few years.