A PETERSFIELD businessman is celebrating a global landmark. Ross Honey, the founder of the International Pairs golf tournament, has seen his competition bloom from a county-based event to a worldwide phenomenon in just nine years. And the man behind the 'biggest event in the world for club golfers' is expecting an even bigger and brighter future – after announcing the Pairs' first licence holder in the United States. The move to welcome entrepreneur Tim Lemp into the Heath Road East-based International Pairs family signals Honey's intent to tap into the country with arguably the biggest golfing resource in the world as he continues to grow the event at a remarkable rate. Honey, who lives in Horndean, said: "Making Tim the first official United States licensee is huge for the International Pairs. There are around 4,000 golf courses in his area, which is as many as the whole of the UK and Europe. "And because of the size of America, and the number of golf courses and players there, we felt it was important to ensure a robust structure was established to help ensure the long-term development of the International Pairs across the Atlantic." A series of licences will now be issued over the next two years as the International Pairs in the United States is split into four regions and 16 territories. Under Honey's guidance at the company's Heath Road East home in Petersfield, the International Pairs, which is run in association with VisitScotland, has grown from its humble Hampshire-wide origins in 1998 to a global tournament which now spans more than 35 countries – with each nation hosting national qualifiers and finals, and all national winners progressing to a world final each year. World final winners for the last two years have come from Columbia and The Philippines, the latter winning the crown at the famous Celtic Manor resort in South Wales last summer before one of the successful duo – Felix Cortez – took over the running of the Pairs' Filipino licence. This year's world final takes place at the five-star Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland, resort from July 1 -3, while revered Open Championship venue Carnoustie will stage the two-day UK final from October 16-17. Thousands of clubs worldwide have taken part in the International Pairs since launch, but the help of main sponsor VisitScotland has helped turn it into the largest tournament of its kind in the world. VisitScotland, which replaced the Scottish Tourist Board in 2001, has been an associate partner of International Pairs for the last five years and is committed to being the main backer of the tournament's world final until 2008. Fore more details on the International Pairs, visit its website at http://www.internationalpairs.com">www.internationalpairs.com.