Taimur Hassan Amin, Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, (centre) speaks to members of the media alongside Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament Fred Ridley and Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A, during the Founding Partners Press Conference. 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship being played at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday, October 26, 2023. Photograph by AAC.
Melbourne: Fred Ridley, Chairman, Masters Tournament and Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive, R&A, two of the most influential gentlemen in the game of golf emphasised that they would love to see world-class events like the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in countries like India.
Yet at the same time, they added that a lot of additional factors come into the picture before courses and cities are awarded hosting rights.
So, can countries like India hope to host a world-class event like the AAC? Speaking at the 14th AAC in Melbourne, Slumbers said, “I think the answer to that question in theory is yes. You know, the mission of what we are trying to do here is to create platforms for the next generation of players, and to promote and showcase elite amateur golf throughout the region.
”But in other ways, we are a victim of our own success. You know, we are staging this, arguably, on one of the finest golf courses in the world, and we are so fortunate that every year we get countries who realise the potential of this championship. Next year (it will be) in Japan, who will able to showcase their country, showcase golf and give a platform for that. I think it’s very important that we keep pushing that.”
Ridley, also present at the Founders’ address at the AAC, added, “Clearly we would like to take this championship to more countries. There are a number of factors starting with the quality of the golf course, so we got a ten out of ten or an 11 out of 10 this year (in Melbourne), but then there are other considerations, logistics, operational issues, security, etc.
“So I think in the long term, yes, we do want to do that, and we should do it when th
e opportunity presents itself. I think in the short term, we want to continue to provide this platform where golfers from all countries in the Asia Pacific region come and show their talents on a worldwide stage, hopefully take that back home, and it can be a virtuous cycle, but we definitely do want to continue to look at that.”
Slumbers commented, “You know, no one else (than himself) would love India to put an incredible tournament together. It’s not about the money so much. It’s about, can you put on a world‑class championship and showcase the world and have the ambition for it, and I think the ambition that we share for this championship is realised year after year. I think it’s continued to go from strength‑to‑strength and I would love to see it in other countries, and it needs to reflect this very high quality that we have here.”
Asked if either of the two most respected voices in world golf had been to India, Slumbers smiled and said, “I built a business in India, so I travelled there a lot.”
Ridley said, “I have not (visited India). Sounds like an invitation.”
Indian golf community would like nothing more than to play host to one of the finest amateur events in the world.
