CANCELLATION OF TOURNEY

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28551, 2 April 1958, Page 7

CANCELLATION OF TOURNEY

Golf Dispute In America

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) CHICAGO, April 1. A financial dispute between the promoter, George May, and the United States Professional Golfers' Association had brought about the cancellation of the allAmerican and "world” golf tournaments. Mr May announced last night. The promoter said he reached his decision with regret. The tournaments, played at the Tam o'Shanter Country Club, paid out 150,000 dollars in prize money last year. They were expected to be worth about the same amount this year. Mr May said last night that he decided to cancel the tournaments after failing to reach agreement with the association over the entry money for the tournaments. The association, which has co-spon-sored the events with Mr May in the last two years, demanded all the entry fees. Mr May promoted his first Tam o’Shanter tournament in 1940, and over the years the events have distributed 1.942.860 dollars tn prize money.

In recent years the winner of the “World” tournament received 100.000 dollars, consisting of 50.000 dollars first prize money and a guarantee of 50.000 dollars for exhibition appearances. A spokesman for the golfing promoter said last night that in the past “overhead and income ran neck and neck, and everything had to be in Mr May’s favour to come out ahead.” He Said Mr May and others tn the promotional organisation felt the loss of the entry fees would cut too big an inroad Into expenses to be overcome. Mr May said a decision on whether the tournaments would be resumed in 1959 depended on the association. If it reversed its stand and allowed the entry fees to be used as part of the purses, the events would be held.