leading tours to discuss common and global issues in professional golf. The founding members were the United States–based PGA Tour the PGA European Tour the Japan Golf Tour PGA Tour of Australasia the Southern Africa–based Sunshine Tour In 1999 they were joined by the Asian Tour and a year later the Canadian Tour became an associate member. The South and Central America based Tour de las Américas became the federation's second associate member in 2007. In 2009 the federation announced a major expansion, as the Tour de las Américas and the Canadian Tour became full members alongside nine new members. They were the PGA Tour China the Korean Tour the Professional Golf Tour of India organizers of the six major Ladies tours (see below) In 2011, the Tour de las Américas was effectively taken over by the PGA Tour, then, after the Tour de las Américas held its 2012 season, it was folded into the new PGA Tour Latinoamérica. In October 2012, the Canadian Tour agreed to be taken over by the PGA Tour, with a name change to PGA Tour Canada taking effect that November. The International Federation of PGA Tours founded the World Golf Championships in 1999 and sanction the Official World Golf Ranking. Other men's tours World ranking points are also awarded for good placings in events on three developmental tours: Challenge Tour (second-tier tour to the European Tour) Korn Ferry Tour (second-tier tour to the PGA Tour) Asian Development Tour (second-tier tour to the Asian Tour), since 2013 In addition, until 2017 the OneAsia Tour, founded in 2009 as a joint venture between the PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association, the Japan Golf Tour, the Korean Golf Association and the Korean PGA, used to offer world ranking points. The richest tour not offering ranking points was until 2011 the Korean Tour. The official development tour in Japan is the Japan Challenge Tour. Other regional tours include the Professional Golf Tour of India, PGA Tour China and All Thailand Golf Tour. The United States and Europe have additional tours for players who haven't made it onto the Korn Ferry Tour or the Challenge Tour. At this level the prize money is partly funded by entrance fees and only the most successful players will win enough to do more than cover their expenses: the emphasis is very much on moving up to a higher tour. Some