Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 18, 1994 TAG: 9411180095
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF. LENGTH: Medium
``I'm proud to announce the formation of the World Golf Tour beginning in 1995 and staging eight events around the world,'' executive director John D. Montgomery Jr. said at a news conference at the Shark Shootout. The Shootout is run by Greg Norman, who was key in setting up the new tour.
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem indicated Wednesday that he would use his power to prevent players from participating in tournaments that compete with tour events.
``Greg Norman has no intention of resigning from the PGA Tour of America,'' Norman said at the news conference. ``But I want to play against the best players in the world.''
Montgomery said the eight events would be held in the United States, Canada, Scotland, Spain and Japan. He said 30 players would be selected based on world rankings and that 10 additional players would be given sponsors exemptions.
``I think this is fantastic,'' Norman said. ``It has been in my heart now for seven years. Outside of the majors, we really don't have the best players playing against the best.
``I want to finally see the Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldos, Jose Maria Olazabals and Nick Prices playing against each other week in and week out.''
The tournaments will have a $3 million purse with $600,000 going to the winner with a $1 million bonus to the player of the year, Montgomery said. He said each competing player would get a $50,000-a-year travel allowance. A source told The Associated Press that the last-place finisher would be guaranteed $30,000.
The $600,000 first-place money is about triple of that offered in the average PGA Tour event.
Another source familiar with the negotiations said that four of the eight events would be held the weeks before each of the major tournaments - the Masters in April, the U.S. Open in June, the British Open in July and the PGA Championship in August.
Montgomery would not confirm this.
``We're not prepared to release dates at this time,'' he said. ``There are still contracts that need to be signed.''
The new tour will be televised by Fox Sports and Montgomery said the $25 million needed to fund it would come from sponsors and television money.
``Fox Sports is absolutely delighted to be connected with the World Golf Tour,'' Fox Sports president David Hill said at the news conference.
It was Finchem who said Wednesday that Fox was putting up $25 million for the venture and that Executive Sports, Inc. was running it.
Montgomery said that Executive Sports, Inc., a Florida-based firm that runs some tournaments for the PGA, was not involved and that he had left Executive Sports to take the position as executive director of the World Golf Tour.
The key to the whole plan will be how many big-name players Norman can convince to defy the PGA and play. That was not immediately clear.
by CNB