US PGA Tour: Melbourne urged to host prestigious golf tournament

FORMER New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has called for Melbourne to make history by becoming the first Australian city to host a round of the prestigious US PGA Tour.

Sir John Key. Picture: Con Chronis

FORMER New Zealand prime minister John Key has called for Melbourne to make history by becoming the first Australian city to host a round of the prestigious US PGA Tour.

Some of the world’s best golfers will come to Melbourne for the World Cup of Golf in November and again for the Presidents Cup next year.

But Mr Key said those events should act as a dress rehearsal for Victoria to push for a historic PGA visit and make it a regular event.

AUSSIE ADAM SCOTT MISSES OUT ON GLORY

PANDEMONIUM AS TIGER WOODS FALLS SHORT

Sir John Key. Picture: Con Chronis

“When you think about it, the vast bulk of people who watch PGA do so via television,’’ he said.

“So in a lot of respects, it doesn’t matter where it is played, as long as the course is demanding of players and there are certain types of experiences.

“I think both Australia and New Zealand offer those opportunities, would without doubt get big local crowds and I think the players, themselves, love the opportunity to play down here.’’

A PGA round in Victoria would lure the eyes of the sporting world to Melbourne and bring the likes of Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy to town.

It would turbocharge tourism, TV ratings and Victoria’s sporting calendar and be a boon for business, tapping into Asian trade relations, with golf hugely popular in the region.

“With now both the Presidents Cup and the World Cup being played in Melbourne, you’re going to get a lot of focus on how good these courses are,’’ Mr Key said.

But, visiting Melbourne on Monday, he told the Herald Sun Victoria should up the ante by convincing the PGA to take a leg of its US tournament on the road.

PRO GOLD GOES YELLOW FOR LYLE

Tiger Woods during the 2018 PGA Championship. Picture: Jamie Squire/Getty Images/AFP

“The PGA has certainly been looking at how it can grow golf and that is a worldwide vantage point it is taking,’’ he said.

“I consider Australia being part of the Asian region — you’ve got huge growth in golf happening in Korea and China, Japan. So I think in many respects, actually having it in a place like Australia, really plays to that growing Asian audience so there is a lot of merit in that.’’

Mr Key, an ambassador of the International Sports Promotion Society, Handa, sponsoring the Melbourne World Cup of Golf in 99 days, said Victoria’s event excellence put it in the box seat.

“You couple that with great wine and food and tremendous experiences, you add golf where you have some of the greatest sandbase courses in the world,’’ he said.

The push for a Victorian leg of the Tour is timely, given the PGA set up an office in Melbourne in February.

The World Cup will be played at The Metropolitan from November 21-25.

[e-mail]

@rolfep