Mr Tony Roosenburg, SFX President of Golf, announced today a joint fundraising initiative between the Heineken Classic and the PGA Tour of Australasia to raise funds to support the rebuilding of communities in Asia following the recent Tsunami tragedy.

"We have commissioned a unique set of Heineken Classic Pin Flags, numbered 1 to 18 , each signed by a high profile player, and each separately framed with a plaque and picture of the player. 

At this stage the likely player list is as follows:

• 18 Ernie Els
  
• 17 Stuart Appleby
  
• 16 Nick Faldo
  
• 15 Craig Parry
  
• 14 Colin Montgomerie
  
• 13 Adam Scott
  
• 12 Peter Senior
  
• 11 Richard Green
  
• 10 Paul Lawrie
  
• 9 Michael Campbell
  
• 8 Lleyton Hewitt
  
• 7 Peter O'Malley
  
• 6 Constantino Rocca
  
• 5 Nick O'Hern
  
• 4 Wayne Grady
  
• 3 Peter Lonard
  
• 2 Thomas Bjorn
  
• 1 Greg Norman.

With the support of our telecast partners, Channel 7 and Fox Sports, we intend to auction each of these flags through Ebay, with all proceeds going to Plan Australia's REBUILDING ASIA Tsunami Appeal, to assist children and their communities affected by the Tsunami disaster. 

Mr Roosenburg, himself a Plan child sponsor, said "We are extremely lucky to have STUART APPLEBY and LLEYTON HEWITT in Melbourne at the moment, and they were only too happy to sign their individual flag."

Chief Executive of the PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA, Andrew Georgiou, echoed these sentiments, stating, "The sporting public in Melbourne has always supported the Heineken Classic, and we have no doubt that they, together with the interstate and international audience, will get behind this initiative and assist us raise significant funds for PLAN AUSTRALIA."

Plan is responding to the tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and India - Plan's work is now focused on the long term, addressing issues such as education, emotional healing, and the re-establishment of livelihood and disaster preparedness.

The Heineken Classic will be played at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club on 3-6 February 2005.

Tim Cansfield-Smith
Plan Media & Communications Manager
Phone: 03 5348 3634
Mobile: 0411 642 194

Judith Coen
Communications Manager
PGA Tour of Australasia
(02) 9956 0012