After years of the European Tour expanding into Asia and beyond next season will see the Asian Tour expand into Europe for the first time.
The Omega European Masters, being staged again this week at Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland, will next year be co-sanctioned with the Asian circuit.
Thirty players from the Far East will qualify for the 156-strong tournament, which will also be the first counting event in the race for places in the 2010 European Ryder Cup team.
Sponsors Omega were the driving force behind the announcement, described today as "truly historic" by Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han.
The first European Tour event to be held in Asia was back in 1999 and this season's schedule includes four events in China, two in India and one in each of Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea and Malaysia.
The circuit also visits Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, three countries in the Middle East and, of course, America for majors and world championships.
For Keith Waters, the European Tour's director of international policy, it means that 30 fewer members will play in the event.
"That's the balance and it's been a big decision," he said. "But we've spoken to our tournament committee (made up solely of players) and it has generally been accepted and understood.
"We've had no other requests from sponsors for this, but if they do come we will deal with them on a case-by-case basis.
"The Asian Tour and its members have made a significant contribution to the development of the European Tour international schedule over the last decade.
"The leading Asian Tour players have added to the quality, style and diversity of the European Tour.
"It is timely and appropriate for the European Tour to support Omega's request to co-sanction this historic event."
Stephen Urquhart, president of Omega, said: "We are excited about the emergence of golf as a truly global sport.
"We commend both the Asian and European Tours for following up our initiative and implementing our proposal that the two tours join forces."
Unlike the women's tour in America, which created a huge furore when it was announced recently that players who do not reach a certain level of English face the possibility of suspension, no such stipulation is being considered for what will remain the European Masters.
"I think that is a bit harsh," commented Kyi Hla Han. "The most important thing is that they (Asian players) have got to play good golf to be accepted on the world stage."
(reopens) This week's tournament attracted only one member of Nick Faldo's Ryder Cup team and Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez is also the only member of the world's top 50 in the field.
To complete the 156-man line-up it was necessary to include players who just failed to earn cards last year either at the qualifying school or off the Challenge Tour.
Tournament committee member Barry Lane said: "They have really struggled with the field here and I don't think there will be any rank-and-file backlash over this co-sanctioning with Asia.
"As long as we get in the qualifiers from the Tour school that's our duty and obviously Omega have a big impact in Asia."
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