The return of the LPGA to Pleasant Valley County Club
in Sutton, MA, for the areaWeb.com Challenge "turned out to
be rocky off the course, but very much a success on the
course," according to Paul Kenyon of the PROVIDENCE JOURNAL.
The "positives outweighed the negatives, to the point where
it is very likely the women will return next year." Kenyon
notes that areaWeb.com made its commitment to sponsor the
tournament "even before it was up and running." areaWeb.com
planned to be on the Internet this week, "in conjunction
with the start of the event," but as of Sunday, it "was
still not in operation" (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 8/9). On
CNNSI.com, Tom Hanson wrote that the event proved that its
promoter, MA-based Entertainment Sports Equities (ESE), was
"too small to handle the LPGA." Pleasant Valley Owner Ted
Mingolla "accused ESE of unethical promotions." ESE ran a
photo of Karrie Webb on the program cover and used Webb,
Kelly Robbins and Se Ri Pak in ads to promote the event --
"but none of the three played at Pleasant Valley." ESE said
the players committed, and it "blamed the LPGA for the
error." Hanson writes the "whole fiasco can be blamed" on
former Commissioner Jim Ritts, who made the deal with ESE,
"which wasn't qualified" to run the event. Hanson: "Look
for the LPGA to return to Pleasant Valley ... with Mingolla
at the helm" (CNNSI.com, 8/9). In Boston, Joe Gordon wrote
that the "marriage between the LPGA and Pleasant Valley
appears healthy, especially if LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw
carries through with his intention to slot this event as
part of a regional package, making it geographically
appealing for players to get here" (BOSTON HERALD, 8/9).
