Manulife is "ending its affiliation" with the LPGA event in Waterloo, Ontario, after six years, according to Mark Bryson of the WATERLOO RECORD. Toronto-based insurance company Manulife in '12 "initially signed on for three years, but added extensions" in '14 and '16. Sports Properties Int'l CEO Hugh Morrow, whose company owns the Manulife LPGA Classic, said that he "hopes to find a new title sponsor in this area and keep the tournament here for many years to come." Morrow: "We don't want to move. Now, in saying that, if we find a sponsor that's based in Oshawa, for instance, if GM all of a sudden jumps up and says that they want to be title sponsor, well they're going to want it in their backyard and we respect that and we recognize that." He added that a list of possible title sponsors "has already been drawn up ... and he hopes to be in the position to make a sponsorship announcement during this year's tournament," which takes place June 7-11. Morrow said that November would be the "'drop-dead date' to have a title sponsor in place" for '18 (WATERLOO RECORD, 2/4).
