Cup organisers respond to criticism
EurAsia Cup organisers insist the competition has the full backing of the the Seve Ballesteros Foundation.
On Thursday, Royal Trophy co-managing director Ivan Ballesteros spoke out strongly against the Europe vs Asia event currently taking place in Kuala Lumpur.
The EurAsia Cup features the exact same Europe vs Asia team format competition as the Royal Trophy, and Ballesteros said the new event was an “an act of aggression” from the European Tour and the Asian Tour, which co-sanctions it.
Ballesteros described the opening day of the EurAsia Cup as “a very sad day for golf”, and pointed to a letter sent by Seve in 2010 asking the European Tour not to go ahead with the new event.
But the European Tour and the Asian Tour issued a joint statement on Thursday, saying the Seve Ballesteros Foundation charity fully supported the new event.
“The EurAsia Cup will provide a new platform to continue the considerable charitable work already undertaken on behalf of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation,” read the statement.
“Since 2010 the European Tour has raised over £1.2 million for the foundation and that figure will be added to following the playing of the EurAsia Cup.
“To that end the Seve Ballesteros Foundation fully supports the EurAsia Cup through its position as official charity. The foundation . . . is run by Seve’s children and heirs Javier, Miguel and Carmen.”
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