The LPGA signed a three-year deal with Mercury for
title sponsorship of the Mercury Titleholders Championship,
April 30-May 3 in Daytona Beach, FL. CBS will televise the
competition live on May 2-3 (LPGA). In Orlando, Jeff
Babineua reports that in addition to Mercury, FL-based
Budget Rent A Car signed as a secondary sponsor, "providing
the tournament an important presence from the Daytona Beach
community." The event lacked a title sponsor since Sprint,
which paid an "estimated" $4M for title rights in '97, opted
not to renew its deal, ending its eight-year involvement
with the event. LPGA Commissioner Jim Ritts said he was
"not going to make a short-term decision" to find a title
sponsor, adding, "If I had to sit out 1998, I would have
done that." Ritts said that there was "ample interest in
the event," but the timing was such that several potential
sponsors already planned their '98 budgets and could sign on
no sooner than '99 (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/29).
BILLY JACKED: Southern Company, a GA-based energy
company, has signed an endorsement deal with PGA Tour golfer
Billy Andrade. Andrade will display a Southern Company logo
on his cap and shirt sleeve during all PGA Tour events and
related appearances, and will make several personal
appearances on behalf of the company (Southern Company).
