Yangon, Myanmar: The 2017 Leopalace21 Myanmar Open will be broadcast live for the first time to a worldwide audience from January 26 to 29, 2017.
The US$750,000 tournament, jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour, will return to the Pun Hlaing Golf Club, the country’s premier golf course.S
Organisers said the popular tournament will receive global coverage as the live broadcast of the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open will reach over 180 countries and territories and 750 million households.
Eisei MiyamaEisei Miyama, President, Leopalace21, said: “We are looking forward to the staging of the 2017 Leopalace21 Myanmar Open as the tournament will be beamed live for the first time on the Asian Tour’s global television platform.
“The live coverage is an exciting initiative which will place Myanmar firmly on the global golf map and also raise our corporate profile and solidify our business growth in the region.
“Following a highly successful first year of our title sponsorship in 2016, Leopalace21 remains committed to growing the game in Myanmar and across Asia and I believe we are on the right track in establishing Myanmar’s national championship as a truly prestigious championship in the region.”
The 2016 Leopalace21 Myanmar Open was won by Shaun Norris of South Africa who defeated Azuma Yano of Japan and Junwon Park of Korea by four shots.
Asian Tour Commissioner Kyi Hla Han said: “The Leopalace21 Myanmar Open is a popular tournament on our schedule and on behalf of our talented players, I would like to extend our fullest appreciation to Leopalace21 for its title sponsorship.
“Through our long-established partnership with the Japan Golf Tour, golf fans in Myanmar and television viewers from around the world will enjoy watching elite golf stars from Asia going head to head at Pun Hlaing Golf Club. The inclusion of 14 local golfers will also benefit golf in Myanmar immensely as it will provide the golfers with a first-hand look at what it needs to excel in the game.”
Japan Golf Tour Chairman Isao Aoki said: “The Japan Golf Tour fully appreciates the invitation from the Asian Tour to jointly sanction the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open. Through this collaboration, our players will compete in an exciting destination at the start of our 2017 season and I would like to thank Leopalace21 for its support towards professional golf in Asia.
“Earlier this season, our members expressed their happiness with the opportunity to compete in the tournament and we look forward to entertaining golf fans in Myanmar again in January.”
Leopalace 21 is in the business of constructing and managing apartments in Japan and the development and operation of serviced apartments and offices across the ASEAN region. It has a three-year agreement to title sponsor Myanmar’s national Open.
Other co-sponsors of the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open areABC Mart, Myanmar Premium,KDDI, Secom, Alpine and Sumitomo Mitsubishi Construction.
