Players cup postponed

Fans who were hoping to catch the likes of Luis Figo, Ruud Gullit, Gabriel Batistuta, John Terry and Theo Walcott swing a club on the golf course in Singapore next month will have to wait until 2017 for the opportunity.

The New Paper has learnt that the Players Cup, slated for the Tanah Merah Country Club Gardens Course from June 24 to 26, has been postponed.

In response to TNP's queries, organisers Worldwide Sports & Entertainment (WWSE) chief executive Thomas Brookes said the short lead time was the main reason they decided to postpone the event.

He added, however, that Singapore will still be the first Asian destination for the event.

Said Brookes: "We have been working on the feasibility of bringing the Icons of Football, Players Cup to Singapore and have confirmed that it will be the first Asian destination for the event.

"We considered holding the event (this year) but, after further thought and also consulting with various parties in Singapore, the consensus was that the short lead time to the event would not allow us to maximise the potential of the event for potential title sponsors.

"We have decided to hold the event in Singapore on June 23-25, 2017, with the pro-am on June 22."

AN ARRAY OF STARS

An array of football stars and icons were set to make an appearance here for the Players Cup, an invitational golf tournament played in Ryder Cup format.

Last month, WWSE had staged the inaugural Icons Cup in Dubai, featuring Team USA against a Rest of the World (ROTW) side.

Past football masters like Figo, Robbie Fowler, Andriy Shevchenko and Dwight Yorke graced the event, which was led by Fred Couples (USA) and Darren Clarke (ROTW).

The likes of Terry, Walcott, Gullit, Shevchenko and Argentine icon Batistuta were all set to compete at Tanah Merah, in a Team England v Team ROTW showdown.

The teams were to be captained by Englishman Lee Westwood, the former world No. 1, and 2011 British Open champion Clarke, of Northern Ireland, respectively.

Brookes said that the Icons Cup in Dubai had attracted further interest in the Singapore event.

"We had some great momentum with significant partners already committed to the Singapore event, with keen interest from additional parties for the title sponsorship.

"With regard to investors, we are happy with our existing shareholding and not currently looking for investment."

To demonstrate their commitment to the 2017 event, WWSE are planning to have either Clarke or Westwood in Singapore next month to launch and share further information about the Players Cup.

Brookes said further details will be announced shortly.

Though he declined to reveal the players who have already been confirmed for 2017, Brookes said WWSE had no problems attracting star names to the event.

"As the Icons Cup demonstrated, we have many players who are desperate to participate in the Players Cup in Singapore and will be hoping to be picked to play by their captains."

This article was first published on May 18, 2015.
Get The New Paper for more stories.