Media giant Nikkei Inc. will help publicise and promote next year’s SMBC Singapore Open as a “Premium Partner” of the iconic tournament.
The Tokyo-based Nikkei, established in 1876, is Japan’s largest business media group. Its flagship The Nikkei newspaper has a daily circulation of about three million.
The company is also strengthening global coverage, as it launched an Asia-focused, English-language publication, Nikkei Asian Review, in 2013 and acquired Financial Times Group of UK this year.
With Singapore’s national Open being co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO), Nikkei views the partnership as a natural fit.
“It makes a lot of sense for us to partner with the SMBC Singapore Open which will feature players from the Asian and Japan Tours as well as top names from overseas,” said Naotoshi Okada, President and CEO of Nikkei.
The 50th edition of the SMBC Singapore Open will be played on The Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club from January 28 to 31with a minimum prize purse of US$1 million.
Current world number one Jordan Spieth of the United States, the winner of the Masters and US Open this year, will headline the SMBC Singapore Open which is returning to the schedule after an absence of three years.
The involvement of the JGTO for the first time is an exciting development with Japan Tour players amongst the most colourful and talented in the region.
Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, the current captain of the European Ryder Cup team, and Korean Y.E. Yang have also confirmed they will play in the tournament.
Both players are Major champions as Clarke claimed the 2011 Open Championship while Yang became the first Asian to win a Major when he triumphed in the 2009 US PGA Championship.
“It is shaping up to be a great week of golf in Singapore and we are pleased to be a part of it,” said Okada.
