Golf: European Tour gets cancelled

Junta de Andalucia’s tourism office says it was pulling its sponsorship as it tries to push through budget cuts.

MADRID: The European Tour is ‘extremely disappointed’ with the Andalucia regional government’s decision to withdraw its funding for this year’s Masters event, forcing its cancellation, said chief executive George O’Grady. The Junta de Andalucia’s tourism office said it was pulling its sponsorship as it tries to push through sweeping budget cuts for Spain’s heavily indebted regions imposed by the central government. It had agreed to provide €3 million in prize money for the tournament at Valderrama, won last year by Spaniard Sergio Garcia. “This is extremely disappointing news to receive, especially at such a late date,” said O’Grady.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2012.