ERNIE ELS has criticised the European Tour’s decision to co-sanction this week’s Singapore Open at the same time as the Volvo World Matchplay Championship in Spain.

Because the World Matchplay took a break from the schedule last year, Els is the defending champion having won the event at Wentworth in 2007.

But due to his contractual obligations to play in Singapore, the 40-year-old South African will be unable to challenge for an eighth title in Spain, and will instead tee-off at Sentosa Golf Club for the Singapore Open which is being co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours for the first time this year.

Els is also still upset after his obligations in Singapore forced him to miss the season-ending Volvo Masters in 2007, which meant he was unable to add to his earnings on the European Tour and missed out on a third Order of Merit title as Justin Rose won in Spain to claim his first.

“The one year the European Tour put the Volvo Masters up against the Singapore Open and I could not play the final event on the European Tour and it cost me the money title,” said Els.

“So I was not very pleased about that and the fall-out from that, the criticism I got about European Tour players playing in an Asian event.

“We have got more controversy this week because of the Matchplay which they have put up against the Singapore Open. I do not understand that, it is a tournament I have won seven times.”

The LPGA Tour’s search for a full-time commissioner to rebuild relationships with sponsors and players has ended with the appointment of former marketing executive Michael Whan.

Whan (44), will replace Carolyn Bivens, who resigned in July after several LPGA players voiced concerns about the health of the tour in the face of the economic downturn.

The position had been filled on a temporary basis by Marsha Evans, a member of the LPGA’s board of directors.

Whan will take over in January after a transition period.