LPGA Event Moves to Superstition Mountain

John Davis
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 3, 2003

When the LPGA Tour returns to the Valley in March, it will be for a tournament with a new name, new course, new sponsor and a larger purse.

About the only thing organizers expect to remain the same is the high-quality field of players for a tournament that will be called the Safeway International.

Changes in the Valley's LPGA Tour event

Name: Safeway International
Sponsor: PING will no long be co-title sponsor
Course: Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club
Purse: Increase by $200,000 to $1.2 million

As expected, Safeway Inc. announced Wednesday that it has signed a long-term title sponsorship agreement for the tournament that will move from Moon Valley Country Club in Phoenix to the Nicklaus-designed Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club near Apache Junction.

"We are absolutely thrilled about this," said Stu Smith, president and CEO of Banner Health Foundation, which has run the event for 21 years. "I can't think of a better scenario in terms of growing our tournament, giving it stability and supporting the charities that benefit from it.

"Safeway has shown its commitment and its expertise in running other tournaments. They identify with our cause, and we know they are going to be a wonderful sponsor and partner."

The agreements with Safeway and Superstition are for three years, with several options to extend them further.

The purse for the tournament will increase by $200,000 to $1.2 million. The announcement was made in Portland, Ore., where the U.S. Women's Open is being played this week.

Superstition's Prospector Course, the Jack and Gary Nicklaus co-designed course which drew rave reviews last year when it hosted the Tradition, one of the four majors on the Champions Tour. (Photo by Jim Mandeville)

PING, which has co-sponsored the event the past 12 years, no longer will be part of the title sponsorship, but Smith said the Phoenix-based equipment-maker might remain involved in another capacity.

"While we are sorry to see the event leave Moon Valley and all of its history, we are excited for the LPGA and the growth opportunity for the tournament," PING Chairman and CEO John Solheim said. "We have a wonderful relationship with the LPGA and share their goal of growing women's golf. This is another positive step in that direction."

The event will be played on Superstition's Prospector Course, the Jack and Gary Nicklaus co-designed course which drew rave reviews last year when it hosted the Tradition, one of the four majors on the Champions Tour.

Under the new agreement, the event will be organized by Tournament Golf Foundation Inc. of Portland, which also operates the Safeway Classic, with assistance from Banner Health Foundation. Charity funds will be distributed through the Safeway Foundation of Phoenix, with Banner Health remaining a major beneficiary.

Over the past 20 years, the tournament has raised $9 million for charity, with the majority going to Banner Health's cancer treatment programs.

Since 1995, Safeway has been the sole title sponsor of an LPGA event in Portland, which is played in September and also has a $1.2 million purse. Safeway became involved with the Valley tournament last year as co-sponsor with PING.

The Safeway International will be patterned after the Safeway Classic, which includes a two-day pro-am on two courses. That was the main reason behind the move to Superstition, which has two high-quality courses, Prospector and Lost Gold.

"I can think of no better sponsor to take the reins of the Phoenix event than Safeway," LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw said. "They have been a dedicated supporter of the LPGA since 1989.

"There is no doubt that . . . the successful tradition of LPGA golf in Phoenix will be carried on for many years to come."

The Valley tournament annually draws one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour, typically 95 or more of the top 100 players on the money list.

Last year, more than 80,000 fans attended the four-day tournament. Smith said he expects attendance to remain as strong, or possibly increase, at the new venue, despite its less-central location.

"I don't see anything falling off," Smith said. "We have four hospitals in the East Valley, from which we will draw volunteers, and we have a large population base to draw fans from.

"Superstition Mountain did a tremendous job when they hosted the Tradition last year. They made it very fan friendly, and the LPGA lends itself to that just as the Champions Tour does."

Se Ri Pak won the title last year in an event that has produced an impressive list of champions.

Other winners have included Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, Laura Davies, Danielle Ammaccapane, Pat Bradley, Betsy King, Beth Daniel, Patty Sheehan and Jan Stephenson.