We would like to see more events in India: Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant

SINGAPORE: Cho Minn Thant, CEO and Commissioner of the Asian Tour, sat down with a few mediapersons on the sidelines of the Singapore Open, an International Series event. TOI was there when he shared his thoughts on the Asian Tour’s ambitions in India, the LIV Golf backing to the elite IS, geopolitical issues affecting the Tour, and how they plan to be commercially sustainable on their own. Excerpts: There seems to be fewer Indian players on the Asian Tour now. Why is that?A big factor is the number of tournaments in India. At one point, we had three to four events there annually - the Indian Open, Panasonic Open, SAIL Open, TAKE Solutions, so naturally that boosted participation. We’d like to get back to having one or two events in India. That said, we’re seeing strong young Indian players coming through again. Two promising professionals came through Qualifying School this year, and it’s good to see players like Gaganjeet Bhullar returning as well. We also have a strong relationship with IGPL, with some crossover events. This year, we’ll co-sanction an ADT event and continue with the Bharath Classic, which is part of a Morocco swing — something that works well for both our players and IGPL players. Besides, we have the International Series India at the Prestige Golfshire on the outskirts of Bengaluru in October.Are there more Indian events in the pipeline?Not at this stage, but we’re always open. India remains a very important market.On scheduling Bharath Classic in Morocco?There were scheduling issues. I have to thank Uttam Singh Mundy, who's the CEO of IGPL, for helping there. We looked at the schedule this year and we were trying to find a date for the Bharath Classic to be held in India. But looking at our back-end schedule, from September through to the end of November, we've got, I think, 11 events in 12 weeks. So, it's going to be very difficult to fit the Bharath Classic in that window if it didn't go opposite a bigger event.And obviously if we wanted better players to go to the Bharath Classic, we can't clash it with an IS event or a bigger event on the Asian Tour. We noticed that IGPL had an Africa strategy. They're visiting South Africa, Mauritius, Congo. And it was just a conversation of me saying, ‘look, Uttam, can you move your tournament earlier in the year?’ He said, ‘well, we're doing an African swing earlier in the year.’ And I said, ‘well, we're doing a tournament in Morocco. Why don't we try and do it in Morocco before IS Morocco?’ And he said, ‘okay, let me go back to my board and see if that'll work.’ And it did. So, it's as simple as that. It works out for our players because they're playing Bharath Classic and IS Morocco in consecutive weeks. Even the AM Green IGPL Morocco Rising Stars ADT event is in the last week of May at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, the same venueHow do you view the overall golf landscape in India?Very strong. There’s the DP World Tour event, The International Series India, IGPL, PGTI, and a growing women’s game. Course quality has improved significantly as well. From a domestic standpoint, Indian golf is in a very healthy position.Could the Indian Open become part of The International Series?At the moment, it’s part of the DP World Tour and has long-term backing from Hero. There are no discussions currently, but we’re always open to conversations in the future.There’s been a lot of discussion around LIV Golf’s future. Does that concern the Asian Tour?Naturally, when these things appear in the media, there is some concern. But we’ve been in close contact with LIV Golf, and they’ve assured us that 2026 will proceed as planned. Looking beyond that, we’re confident the relationship will continue. The International Series has shown it can attract its own sponsors and be commercially sustainable. I believe it will not only continue, but potentially grow stronger.Can you elaborate on the Asian Tour–International Series partnership?Initially, LIV funding was a significant part of the International Series. Over time, we’ve built strong domestic sponsorship, and many events are now sponsor-driven. Rahul Singh and his team focus on the commercial side from the LIV perspective, while we handle sanctioning, player participation, and broadcast production. We also contribute events such as the Singapore Open, Hong Kong Open, and Saudi International. It’s a strong partnership, with clearly defined roles.How many events are planned for this season?We currently have 17 confirmed and are targeting around 20. That’s slightly below our original goal due to geopolitical challenges, particularly in the Middle East.How have geopolitical issues affected the Tour?We’ve had to adjust - events in Egypt and Saudi Arabia earlier in the year didn’t materialise. Safety is always the priority. Morocco, for example, remains a safe and active destination, hosting multiple events.What has been the most rewarding part of your career?Seeing players come through Qualifying School, develop on the Asian Tour, and go on to succeed globally — whether on LIV Golf, the PGA Tour, or in major championships. That journey is incredibly rewarding.Do you hope to re-establish pathways with other global tours?Absolutely. Our goal is to give players as many opportunities as possible. While the LIV pathway is strong, we’d like to see routes reopen to the DP World Tour and PGA Tour as well.What are your key focus markets going forward?Southeast Asia remains core, though we need to strengthen our presence there again. China and India are major priorities, alongside the Middle East once conditions stabilise. But we would like to go back to places like Malaysia, Thailand. Bharath Classic’s staging in Morocco is also a one-off thing, maybe. It just logistically worked this season.A bit about your background?I was born in Myanmar, raised in Australia, and have been based in Singapore for many years. I’ve worked in golf my entire career - it’s my passion. It’s a demanding role, but very rewarding.