Barring a last-minute surprise, the LPGA's tournament at Lake Merced Golf Club near S.F. "will not appear on the schedule" in '17 after Taiwan-based nonprofit organization Swinging Skirts decided to "not return" as the title sponsor, according to Ron Kroichick of the S.F. CHRONICLE. The LPGA is an "ideal fit in the Bay Area, given the region’s rich history of women’s golf, avid fans and great courses." However, Bay Area companies "historically are reluctant to throw money behind women’s tournaments." That is why the event at Blackhawk Country Club in Danville disappeared, and that is why the "future of this tournament at Lake Merced teeters in doubt." IMG Golf Dir of Operations and event Exec Dir Kevin Hopkins said, "We’re in active conversations to find a long-term partner to keep the LPGA in San Francisco." Kroichick notes it is a "big financial commitment," as title sponsorships run between $3-4M annually, to "cover prize money and other costs associated with staging a tournament." Still, the Bay Area is a "big market with many thriving corporations." Kroichick: "Make no mistake: The tour’s loyalty lies with whomever is footing the bill." So if a new sponsor "wants to move the tournament out of the Bay Area, that’s what will happen." LPGA Senior VP/Tournament Business Affairs & LPGA Properties Ricki Lasky said, "We’d like to stay there, but obviously that’s driven by our title sponsors" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 10/27).
