New agreement

The European Masters will be co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours next year, the first tournament on European soil to be co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour.

The move is a partial response to the development of the FedEx Cup Series on the US Tour, which has cut into the quality of the field at the tournament this week.

Stephen Urquhart, president of longtime tournament sponsors Omega, added: "The FedEx Cup has given us an excuse to do now what we wanted to do anyway."

There are already nine events co-sanctioned by the two tours, but all are in Asia.

At least 30 Asian players will compete in the event next year. The tournament is expected to be held at the same time in early September and will, as in recent times, be the first qualifying event for places on the 2010 European Ryder Cup team.

Meanwhile defending champion Brett Rumford fired his second successive four-under 67 yesterday to share the early European Masters second round lead with overnight leader Rory McIlroy.

British teenager McIlroy finished with 71 and match Rumford's eight-under 134.

Rumford is struggling to keep his US PGA Tour card. The three-times European Tour winner explained why he has turned his fortunes around again.

"Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result," Rumford said.

"That's the trap golfers very often get stuck in. The trick, I've found, is to identify something that's not working and change it."

BMW washout

The first round of the BMW Championship, the third Playoff event of the FedEx Cup, was washed out by steady rain that deluged Bellerive Country Club on Thursday. Tour. (AFP)