Golf: OneAsia says it's best for Chinese players

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Golf: OneAsia says it's best for Chinese players

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OneAsia's 2012 schedule lists three tournaments in China:.

01 November,2012 11:34 am

Asian golf circuit OneAsia Thursday said it offered the best deal for Chinese players following complaints about a lack of playing opportunities.A spokesman said OneAsia, which formed an alliance with the China Golf Association (CGA) in 2009, gave the countrys golfers a bigger platform than any other tour, and is also hoping to organise more tournaments.No other international tour offers as many playing opportunities for Chinese players than OneAsia as evidenced by the number of Chinese golfers competing at the Indonesia Open, Thailand Open, Korea Open, Australian Open -- the list goes on, the spokesman said in a statement emailed to AFP.Just look at the Nanshan China Masters last month where a record 19 mainlanders made the cut -- the most ever in an international event in China.The comments come after Wu Ashun and Liang Wenchong, Chinas number one and two, called for more playing opportunities in China. Both players, ranked 188 and 246 respectively, are regulars on the Japanese tour.The OneAsia spokesman said Wu and Liang have been two of OneAsias biggest supporters and said Liangs four victories, including at last months Nanshan China Masters, are a record for the tour.OneAsia also has an excellent relationship with the China Golf Association, one of our founding partners, and is constantly looking for new, lucrative tournament opportunities both in China and elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region, he added.OneAsias 2012 schedule lists three tournaments in China: the Volvo China Open, which was co-sanctioned by the European Tour, plus the Nanshan China Masters and the Dongfeng Nissan Cup. It has 13 events region-wide.The tour official also said OneAsia did not reciprocate the policy of its competitor the Asian Tour, which previously organised events in China, of penalising golfers for playing on a rival circuit.