Latest news with #EnriqueRazon
The South African
02-07-2025
- Business
- The South African
Is THIS the course that will host LIV Golf event in South Africa?
Ever since reports broke that LIV Golf will stage a tournament in South Africa in 2026, questions have been asked as to which course would be best suited to hosting the event. Predictably, many suggested the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City or Leopard Creek as possible options having held the Nedbank Challenge and Alfred Dunhill Championship, respectively, for decades. Others mentioned Blair Atholl or Durban Country Club as alternatives. However, another venue in the Cape has gained support. Earlier this year, Filipino ports and casino billionaire, Enrique Razon, whose company won an multi-billion-rand bid to revive sub-Saharan Africa's biggest container port, bought a development that includes one of South Africa's top golf courses, Pearl Valley. Entities associated with Razon bought Pearl Valley – a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course – and the hotel on the property in the Cape Winelands from a company controlled by shareholders that include South African businessman and Olympic swimming gold medal winner, Ryk Neethling. Pearl Valley has consistently been ranked among South Africa's top golf courses and has previously held the South African Open, among several other Sunshine Tour and co-sanctioned events. Razon, who chairs and is president of Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and is a major supporter of the sport in his home country, has an estimated net worth of $13 billion, according to the Forbes Real Time Billionaires List. At the time of publishing he's the 202nd-richest person in the world. Razon is reportedly dead-keen on hosting the LIV Golf event and is prepared to throw money – lots of it – at realising his dream. LIV Golf's 2026 season is shaping up to be one of the most internationally focused yet, with a schedule that includes nine tournaments outside of the United States. According to sources who have seen the preliminary schedule, LIV Golf's 2026 season will kick off with six straight international events, a significant increase compared to the four in the opening weeks of 2025. While the schedule has yet to be confirmed, reports are that these locations are '100 percent' confirmed, with the only expected changes being dates. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – February 5-7 – February 5-7 Adelaide, Australia – February 12-14 – February 12-14 Hong Kong – March 6-8 – March 6-8 Singapore – March 13-15 – March 13-15 South Africa – March 20-22 (first ever LIV event in South Africa) – March 20-22 Mexico City – April 17-19 – April 17-19 Washington DC/Virginia – May 15-17 – May 15-17 South Korea – May 29-31 – May 29-31 Spain – June 5-7 – June 5-7 New Orleans – June 26-28 – June 26-28 UK – July 24-26 – July 24-26 Chicago – August 7-9 – August 7-9 Indianapolis – August 21-23 – August 21-23 Michigan – August 28-30 South African tournament The 2026 schedule marks the first-ever LIV Golf event in South Africa. This highly anticipated addition is a win for the Stinger GC, the all-South African team consisting of Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Dean Burmester, and Branden Grace, all of whom have long pushed for a tournament on their home soil. The venue remains unconfirmed, but the event will be a landmark moment for the tour. No Japan Event A previously rumoured Japan event looks to have been delayed, with the 2026 schedule not including a stop. Instead, Hong Kong and Singapore will see action in March. International focus early in the season The 2026 season would begin with six consecutive international tournaments in February and March, including notable locations like Saudi Arabia, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. This marks a shift toward a truly global LIV Golf tour and presents significant international opportunities for players and sponsors alike. US leg starts late in the season The first LIV event in the United States will not come until May 15-17 in DC/Virginia, just a week before the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia. This marks a strategic move for LIV to avoid overlapping with the traditional PGA Tour schedule. No LIV Miami or Dallas In a notable omission, the LIV Golf Miami and LIV Golf Dallas events are absent from the 2026 calendar, despite the popularity of these locations in previous seasons. Instead, the tour continues its trend of visiting new cities and countries, suggesting that LIV Golf will continue to prioritise global expansion over returning to established US venues. If this schedule holds, LIV Golf will maintain its aggressive push to grow the sport globally, especially in emerging markets such as South Africa, South Korea, and Mexico. The addition of a South African event will undoubtedly be a significant moment for the country's golf scene, as well as a response to the growing call for more international representation on the tour. For LIV players, the extended international schedule provides more opportunities for travel, promotion, and securing sponsorships in regions where the tour is looking to make a lasting impact. With high-profile locations like Riyadh and Hong Kong, LIV continues to solidify its commitment to broadening the scope of professional golf. As the schedule remains unfinalised, LIV Golf fans and players alike are eagerly awaiting official confirmation, likely to come in the next few weeks. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Philippine Billionaire Enrique Razon Consolidates Water Utility Assets In $671 Million Deal
The Wawa dam's reservoir will be the biggest built since 1967 to supply drinking water for Manila. Casino-to-ports billionaire Enrique Razon Jr.'s Prime Infrastructure is consolidating its water utility assets under Manila Water in a deal valued at 37.8 billion pesos ($671 million). Manila Water is buying WawaJVCo, the developer and operator of the Wawa dam in Rizal province, about 30 kilometers east of Manila, Prime Infra, the key shareholder of both companies, said in a statement. That will boost the utility's operating efficiency as it will now have access to two bulk water supply facilities, it added. 'The acquisition is financially accretive,' Manila Water, which services the eastern half of Metro Manila, said in is a separate statement, adding that this is 'strategically aligned with its long-term operational and water security objectives.' WawaJVCo has a 30-year bulk water supply agreement to supply Manila Water 518 million liters per day. Initial payment for the acquisitions will be made upon closing of the transaction on August 29, while the balance shall be paid in installments, to be agreed upon by both parties, Manila Water said. With a real-time net worth of $12.9 billion, Razon is the second-richest Philippine tycoon. Besides infrastructure, he also has controlling interests in global port operator ICTSI and Bloomberry, which owns two casino resorts in Metro Manila. Through Prime Infrastructure, Razon has been stepping up his investments in energy which includes his stake in the Malampaya gas field. Last month, it agreed to buy 60% of the gas assets of the Lopez family-backed First Gen for 50 billion pesos. In 2022, Prime Infra, which is also into power and waste management, postponed its IPO due to unfavorable market conditions.
The Star
09-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Billionaire Razon enters Philippines' booming online gambling platform
A photo taken on Sept 16, 2016, shows billionaire Enrique Razon, chairman of International Container Terminal Services Inc and Bloomberry Resorts Corporation, during an interview in Manila. -- PHOTO: BLOOMBERG MANILA (Bloomberg): Tycoon Enrique Razon's Bloomberry Resorts Corp. launched its online casino platform in the Philippines' booming internet gambling sector, taking aim at market leader DigiPlus Interactive Corp. Revenue from electronic games overtook those from large brick-and-mortar casinos for the first time in the Philippines last year, marking a shift in Asia's second-largest gambling hub, according to the nation's gaming agency. Bloomberry's gaming site is accepting bets of less than $1 for games such as slots, baccarat and roulette, as the company targets mass consumers. Razon, with a net worth of $11.3 billion according to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index, told stockholders in April that his online gaming foray would diversify the company's revenue streams. Bloomberry runs two integrated resorts in the metropolitan Manila region under the Solaire brand, and a casino in Jeju in South Korea. Bloomberry shares rallied as much as 18.8% on Monday, marking its largest intraday gain in more than six weeks and making it the top-performer among Philippine blue chip stocks. While the Southeast Asian nation's expanding online gaming market has room for another player like Bloomberry, the company will face tough competition from entrenched DigiPlus. "Competing with DigiPlus, an established player with 40 million registered users, presents notable challenges for Bloomberry,' said Toby Allan Arce, an analyst at Globalinks Securities & Stocks Inc. in Manila. DigiPlus attracted 40 million registered users in 2024, double its 2023 numbers, according to the company. It is already looking at other markets after securing a license in Brazil, where the company will offer sports betting. It is also setting up a Singapore unit to drive international growth. -- ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Bloomberg
09-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Billionaire Razon Enters Philippines' Booming Online Gambling
Tycoon Enrique Razon's Bloomberry Resorts Corp. launched its online casino platform in the Philippines' booming internet gambling sector, taking aim at market leader DigiPlus Interactive Corp. Revenue from electronic games overtook those from large brick-and-mortar casinos for the first time in the Philippines last year, marking a shift in Asia's second-largest gambling hub, according to the nation's gaming agency.
Reuters
02-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Billionaire Razon to buy 60% stake in First Gen's gas assets for $896 million
June 2 (Reuters) - Prime Infra, the infrastructure business arm of Filipino businessman Enrique K. Razon Jr., is buying 60% of the gas assets of First Gen Corp ( opens new tab for 50 billion pesos ($896.44 million), the Philippine energy firm said on Monday. The parties have signed a term sheet, which shows another upcoming facility located in Batangas province, south of Manila, First Gen said in a statement. First Gen is backed by the influential Lopez family, who will retain a 40% stake in the gas business the company is selling. The Lopez family is also the controlling shareholder of ABS-CBN ( opens new tab, the country's largest broadcaster. The deal marks the latest in the Philippine energy sector, following a $3.3 billion gas and LNG joint venture unveiled by San Miguel Corp.( opens new tab with Aboitiz Power ( opens new tab and a unit of Manila Electric Co ( opens new tab. The stake sale will help First Gen go ahead with its plans to quadruple its renewable energy capacity in six years through 2030. ($1 = 55.7760 Philippine pesos)
