Ginn Might Be Helping LPGA Tour

Jigga what?

That's right, the former Safeway International at Superstition Mountain is going to be back next year - according to a report in The Arizona Republic.

Bivens assured players during a meeting two weeks ago at the Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore., that it will remain on the schedule March 26-29.

Unfortunately, the tournament owner - Tournament Golf Foundation - was not told about this development and they found out from players.  (Again, the LPGA Tour with its communications problems.)

"I wasn't at the meeting, but I heard the same thing," Tom Maletis, president of TGFI, said this week. "Several players came up to me at the tournament and said they were happy to hear we were returning to Phoenix. If we are, that's news to me.

"I can't speak for the LPGA, but I thought it was pretty bold for the commissioner to tell the players that there will be an event in Phoenix, unless they've got something going on that I don't know about. If she did say that, then maybe they already have something lined up."

There are quotes in the piece from Mike Nichols of the LPGA Tour that say they may have sponsors lined up or are in discussions, etc.  But here's the interesting part:

National magazines have speculated that the tour will use $1.5 million it receives in a settlement from Ginn Companies to pay for the prize purse of the Valley tournament if a new sponsor isn't secured. Ginn faces a penalty for recently canceling the Ginn Tribute, which was scheduled to run through 2009.

"If the tour could come to the party with $1.5 million, that certainly increases the prospect of funding the tournament, and that could come into play, but we have to proceed as if there's nothing on the table. I'm not counting on that as far as finding a sponsor."

So, maybe, thanks...Bobby?