LPGA's Ginn Tribute may not return next year
Report says tournament will not be played in 2009
Updated 12:46 p.m., July 28, 2008
A Ginn Company spokesman said today a report by Golf World magazine that the Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika will not be played in 2009 is "not correct."
Citing multiple unnamed sources, Golf World said the tournament will not return to RiverTowne Country Club. The $2.6 million event has a contract with the LPGA and NBC that runs through 2010. The LPGA has said it has a spot on the 2009 schedule, June 4-7, the week prior to the LPGA Championship. But there has been much speculation about its future considering the uncertain real estate climate. The level of speculation elevated with Annika Sorenstam's announcement she would step back from competitive golf at the end of the year.
Ryan Julison, spokesman for the Ginn Company, which sponsors events on the PGA and Champions Tour as well as another LPGA tournament, said the company is looking at all options.
"Market conditions are awful and we've got no sponsors on these events," Julison said. "That makes it very difficult to manage this process. But we are certainly looking at all options and we are continuing to work through this very complicated process."
LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens was less than optimistic about the event's future when she spoke to Golf World this week at the Evian Masters in France.
"If I had to handicap the situation right now I would say that it is less than 50-50 that the Ginn Tribute will happen in 2009. That said, we will have a tournament to replace it," Bivens said.
See Tuesday's Post and Courier for the complete story.
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Comments
This article has 3 comment(s)
Posted by zoomru on July 28, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WELL .. WELL... WEll...
I wonder why.........!!
Its because that RASCAL Ginn and the Mangy developer LOT are tryin to hoodwink the fine people of the NECK AREA by developing OLD DUMPS into a PROMENADE !! Hopefully Ginn will do the RIGHT thing and CLEAN UP the ENTIRE Area for the benefit of all!! His property deserves to developed but NOT before the entire area is CLEANED UP using the PLASMA machines from www.startech.net !!!
These fine LPGA officials may not want to take the heat!! They do not want to be associated with DUMPS. Maybe they already know that HE is not going to CLEAN THE AREA UP ?!
Mayor Riley, SUMMEY, and HALLMAN.....WHAT is going on??
WE DESERVE TO KNOW ?!?!
Posted by KidYendor on July 28, 2008 at 4:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have worked as a volunteer at the two tournaments and its overwhelming to stand inches from the lady golf stars and get a quick smile and hello after watching them compete. They work really hard and you have to see them in person to appreciate the time they spend practicing, playing and signing autographs. And with the demands on them they are still pretty personable. I care about women's golf and it is not boring. At NASCAR tracks you see the drivers a hundred plus yards away getting into their cars at the start and that's the last you get to see their faces. Now that's boring and you don't get to say hello to them either. It would be a shame to lose this wonderful tournament and this yearly chance to see the beautiful stars of the LPGA.
Posted by Snidely_Whiplash on July 28, 2008 at 5:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No surprise. Ginn's NASCAR venture failed and his golf biz won't be far behind. The recent fire sale on memberships at Rivertowne tells me he is building up the revenue stream to unload that as well. As the bumper stickers once read in Hilton Head, "Honk If Bobby Ginn Owes You Money."