Manila: Solaire Resort and Casino, the Philippines’ premier integrated destination resort, will title sponsor a new Asian Tour Golf tournament next week as the region’s premier Tour continues to expand across Asia.

The inaugural Solaire Open will be played at the prestigious Wack Wack Golf Club from April 11 to 14, with top stars from the Philippines challenging the leading players from the Asian Tour in the US$300,000 event.

Solaire Resort and Casino chairman and president, Enrique K. Razon Jr., said: “This is a very exciting venture for Solaire Resort and Casino, and we look forward to a successful inaugural Solaire Open in April.”

It will be one of two new events to be featured on the 2013 Asian Tour schedule during the first half of the season following the Chiangmai Golf Classic presented by PTT. The Asian Tour is celebrating its milestone 10th season in 2013.

The full-field Asian Tour event is expected to attract a strong cast of Asian Tour champions including Thailand’s Chawalit Plaphol and Singaporean Mardan Mamat and local heroes Frankie Minoza, Angelo Que, Antonio Lascuna and Miguel Tabuena.

Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han expressed his gratitude to Solaire Resort and Casino for its support. Han believes professional golf in the Philippines will continue to flourish with continued backing from Corporate Philippines.

“On behalf of the Asian Tour, I would like to thank Mr. Razon and Solaire Resort and Casino for the wonderful sponsorship and commitment towards the betterment of professional golf in the Philippines,” said Han.

“We are delighted to forge a partnership with the Asian Tour which continues to lead the development of professional golf in the Philippines and across Asia. It is also our vision to support professional golf at the highest level in Asia, and we will put in every effort to make it a successful tournament that the Philippines can be proud of,” said Razon, Jr.

Over the past nine seasons, Que, Minoza, Artemio Murakami and Juvic Pagunsan have notched a combined total of six Asian Tour victories while Pagunsan became the first Filipino to win the Order of Merit following a stand-out year in 2011.

Additionally, Jay Bayron has also achieved success on the Asian Development Tour, the region’s feeder circuit run by the Asian Tour, where he emerged as the Order of Merit champion last year.

“Golf is one of the fastest growing sports in the Philippines and the Asian Tour is delighted to be a part of the inaugural Solaire Open, which we are confident will become the premier golf tournament in the Philippines,” Han continued.

“Over the past decade, Filipino golfers have enjoyed many achievements on the Asian Tour, which has provided the platform for them to perform and enhance their playing careers through a sustainable and year-long schedule,” Han said.

“I am confident the Solaire Open will provide further impetus for the younger generation of Filipinos to pick up the game and subsequently emulate local heroes such as Frankie Minoza, Juvic Pagunsan, Angelo Que and Antonio Lascuna,” added Han.

“Solaire Resort and Casino is master planned and designed to become a leading destination in Asia and, through the staging of an international tournament on the Asian Tour, the Solaire Open will certainly promote our resort and country across the world through vast television and media exposure,” added Mr. Razon.