Dubai: A senior PGA European Tour director has revealed discussions are under way to extend Dubai's annual hosting of the Tour's season finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
A 2009 five-year agreement was initially shortened to three given the global economic climate. This would have concluded with the forthcoming 2011 Dubai World Championship Race to Dubai from December 8 to 11, sponsored by DP World.
But now it is believed options to either reactivate those remaining two-years or start afresh with another five-year deal are being tabled.
This would take Dubai's staging of the event up until at least 2013, or even to 2016.
The European Tour is now expected to announce which of the above two options have found most preference among its organisers and sponsors, before the start of this year's event.
Colin Smith, European Tour Director, International Business Development Middle East and Asia told Gulf News: "Now in its third year, The Race to Dubai — and the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World — has enjoyed a period of quite unprecedented growth and success and, while our focus right now is on delivering yet another successful tournament in December, we are currently in discussions to move forward and take the event even further in the years ahead."
Value to sponsors
It was added that as a sponsorship vehicle, The Race to Dubai offers unprecedented value to sponsors and brands delivering around $2.6 billion (Dh9.5 billion) in value throughout the year.
Meanwhile, the potential audience reach of The Race to Dubai events across the Tour's global broadcast platforms encompasses almost 500 million households — live/delayed transmissions; 218 million (highlights) and around 350 million via the weekly magazine show, European Tour Weekly.
Smith added: "Of course, there will always be rumours when a three-year agreement reaches the third and final year but, as I said, we are in discussions with a number of parties about the years ahead."
Speaking of the location of the event, Smith added: "Our primary objective is to keep The Race to Dubai in Dubai, wherever that may be. Jumeirah Golf Estates is a good host, so there is no reason right now to look beyond it as a venue."
Organisers are also considering increasing the prize pool from $7.5 million to $10 million by 2014, a figure that was initially intended back in 2009. Such a move would restore its claim as one of the current richest purses in world golf, equalling South Africa's planned 2012 World Golf Championship Tournament of Hope.
