The Singapore Open and World Sport Group extended their deal another five years, but the event is still "facing a possible change of dates, prize money and even sanctioning bodies as organisers search for a new title sponsor" after the withdrawal of British bank Barclays, according to Talek Harris of the AFP. After the signature from WSG, officials pledged the event was "here to stay," but they were "unable to give details about the next edition" of the event often called Asia's Major. Barclays announced at the beginning of the year that it would not renew its sponsorship of the event, which is one of the region's richest, "but it has struggled to attract top-quality fields in a congested part of the season." WSG Senior VP for Golf Chris Jordan said organizers were now canvassing an "enormous" number of potential sponsors, but he stressed that all options "were open for the event's future." Jordan said, "We are talking to an enormous raft of [sponsors], in an enormous raft of different categories, and we're very confident that towards the beginning of next year, when this one's settled, we'll be making some more announcements." Jordan "indicated he was keen to shift the notoriously rain-affected event away from its current slot." Jordan: "Frankly, as far as I'm concerned all bets are off. Nothing's a given, but we will look at dates because seriously, we can't afford to have too much bad luck on one date any more." The event began Thursday (AFP, 11/8).
