YAGON, MYNMAR — Organisers of the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open have announced that the 2017 edition will move to a new venue and date.
Jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour, the popular championship will be staged at the Pun Hlaing Golf Club from January 26 to 29, 2017 which is a week earlier when the event made a welcome return onto the Schedule this year.
The Leopalace21 Myanmar Open will continue to offer a total prize fund of US$750,000 and will act as the second leg of the 2017 Asian Tour season immediately after the SMBC Singapore Open, which is also co-sanctioned with the Japan Golf Tour.
Asian Tour Commissioner Kyi Hla Han said: “Through our strong collaboration with our title sponsor Leopalace21 and Japan Golf Tour, we are pleased to visit Myanmar for its national championship once again next January.
“Our players enjoyed competing for the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open title earlier this season and the gathering of golf stars from the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour will ensure golf fans in Myanmar and TV viewers from around the world will continue to enjoy watching world-class golf when the tournament moves to Pun Hlaing Golf Club next year.
“It is also our hope and aspiration that the successful staging of the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open will continue to inspire the local Myanmar golfers to excel in the game. I would like to thank Leopalace21 for its wonderful support and also to the other sponsors involved with this prestigious tournament.”
Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) Chairman Isao Aoki said: “The Leopalace21 Myanmar Open is a very significant golf tournament as it is jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour. Through such tournaments, the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour have established a strong relationship which we believe will provide the foundation for the game to grow further on both Tours.
“I hope our players will have a great experience in the 2017 Leopalace 21 Myanmar Open. The tournament resonates strongly in the hearts of the homegrown Myanmar golfers and fans across Asia and it is fantastic that this event will showcase the best of Asian golf to the world.
“I would also like to sincerely thank Leopalace21 for supporting this tournament along with the other sponsors. We look forward to establish strong ties with the Asian Tour.”
Leopalace 21 is in the business of constructing and managing apartments in Japan and the development and operation of serviced apartments and offices across the ASEAN region. It has a three-year agreement to title sponsor Myanmar’s national Open.
Inaugurated in 1996, the Myanmar Open has now been staged on 14 occasions where former champions include Asian Tour stars such as Boonchu Ruangkit and Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Keng-chi and Japanese ace Tetsuji Hiratsuka.
International players who have won in Myanmar include South Africa’s James Kingston, American Anthony Kang, Australian Kieran Pratt and this year’s champion Shaun Norris, who is also from South Africa.
Pun Hlaing Golf Club hosted the Myanmar Open in 2010, the year Japanese star Hiratsuka claimed an emphatic 10-stroke victory.
