The King's Cup golf tournament will be held at Black Mountain Golf Club, Hua Hin on Jan 16-19. It was initially scheduled for early December to celebrate His Majesty the King's Birthday on Dec 5 but organisers have been forced to accept a delay.
Asian Tour chairman Kyi Hla Han said the original date clashed with the SEA Games in Myanmar in December.
"The tournament might be less interesting if it is staged in the same period as SEA Games," he said.
However, an Asian Tour source indicated the postponement was due to a lack of the sponsorship. The Professional Golf Association of Thailand has struggled to find the sponsors to cover their costs. The Thai Country Club and Banyan Golf Club showed interest in hosting the tournament but backed out.
"It will be held at the Black Mountain Golf Club," the source said. "We will sign a contract in a few days."
With financial support from the Sport Authority of Thailand, the tournament will increase its purse from US$500,000 to $1 million. However, it has failed to attract world-class players.
"It is impossible to invite the stars because we can give them only a month to make a decision," the source said. "They need more time to decide."
The Black Mountain Golf Club has hosted many golf tournaments, including the Asian Tour's Black Mountain Masters in 2009 and 2010 and also the Royal Trophy in 2011.