PGA Tour's $7M CIMB Classic Expected To Bolster Fan-Base, Local Tourism In Asia

As the world of golf celebrates the CIMB Classic becoming a full-fledged US PGA Tour event, one can already sense the $7M tournament "bringing with it numerous spin-off benefits for the local industry, especially the tourism sector," according to Shaun Orange of THE STAR. But the first and only FedExCup event outside of the United States "is merely part of a grand plan of the PGA Tour to help grow the sport on a global basis" -- in this case Asia -- and also bolster its portfolio and fanbase. This "was the standpoint expressed" by PGA Tour VP of Int'l Business Affairs Paul Johnson. Johnson: "This is not only a huge event on the PGA Tour's schedule, but is also part of our strategy to develop the game by way of making more people aware of it" (THE STAR, 10/24).