3 February 1997 TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER
THE HON JOHN HOWARD MP
ANNOUNCEMENT OF VENUE OF PRESIDENT'S CUP
MELBOURNE, VIC
E& OE
Thank you very much Mr Walker; to Jeff Kennett, the Premier of Victoria; to Tim
Finchem, the Commissioner of the PGA; to two of Australia's all time sporting greats,
Peter Thompson and Greg Norman, ladies and gentlemen.
I'm delighted as Prime Minister of Australia to formally acknowledge the decision that
the next President's Cup, the President's Cup of 1998 is coming to Australia. This is
an acknowledgment of the immense prestige in which Australia is held as a venue for
major sporting events. It's an acknowledgment of course of the immense contribution
that this country and its players of the years have made to golf
The President's Cup is a special golfing event. None of the prize money is taken by
the participants and the proceeds of it are contributed to various charities. It has been
successfully staged in the United States on two occasions, and during his recent visit to
Australia in October of last year the President and I discussed the possibility that the
event might, for the first time, go outside the United States. And I encouraged in him
the thought that it might come to Australia and that if that proved to be the case that
he would find that a convenient and indeed overwhelmingly appropriate reason to
return to our country.
There's quite a long tradition in politics and sport of particular politicians associating
attendance in particular parts of the world with particular sporting events and I
encourage the President to follow that long tradition if, in fact, the President's Cup
were to come to Australia.
So it is coming to Australia. I'm delighted about that. I want to thank very, very
warmly the PGA and the Commissioner for the PGA tour, Tim Finchem and also Mike
Bodney, and I'd also like to acknowledge the contribution of Brian Allan, the Chief
Executive of the Australasian PGA and of course the immense contribution of the two
Australian golfing legends that I've already mentioned, that's Peter Thompson, the
Captain of the international team, and of course Greg Norman.
I, following the pattern of Presidents, Bush and Ford, will be the honorary Chairman of
the event. And of course once again this event will focus the attention of the sporting
world and the world generally on Australia and the contribution that Australia is
making to the life of this region and this part of the world and also the contribution
that Australia is making to the world of golf I've said on many occasions to both
Australian and international audiences that there is nothing that quite binds Australians
together so enthusiastically and so spontaneously as our passion for sport and our love
of the great sporting contest. And in the world of golf, in a short period of time, the
President's Cup has grown into being a very great sporting contest that has brought
together the uninhibited enthusiasm of great players but also the enthusiastic following
of spectators and audiences around the world. It is an event that will of course receive
worldwide extensive television coverage. It's an event that will showcase the sporting
prowess, not only of Australia and the United States but the sporting prowess of many
countries. So I am, as Prime Minister, absolutely delighted that once again the place of
Australia in the world of sport, the place of Australia in the world of golf, the place of
Australia in international sporting, cooperation has been acknowledged. And I'm
delighted that the 1998 President's Cup will be coming to Australia.
Thank you. 2