PETE MOLLICA | Golf Giant Eagle LPGA talks continue
Rumors and speculation have been flying all over the Valley about the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic, which is getting set for its 15th consecutive tournament.
Much of the speculation has been centered around the fact that the tournament is in the final year of its contracts with both the LPGA and title sponsor.
In past contract years the new agreements have been usually negotiated in the year prior to the contract's end, but nothing was done last year during the event.
Eddie Thomas, who has operated and directed this tournament since its inception in 1990, is the first to agree that things are moving more slowly this year than in the past, but for good reasons.
"We're trying to negotiate a $3 million budget in the middle of a huge economic crisis here," Thomas said.
Constant contact
Thomas said that he and the Mahoning Valley Sports Charities, owners of the tournament, have been in constant contact with both Giant Eagle and the LPGA.
"Things are coming together kind of slowly, but they are coming together," he added. "It's been difficult in negotiations with all our sponsors, not just Giant Eagle. Times are tough right now."
The LPGA first came to the Valley back in 1990 as The Phar-Mor in Youngstown. But after the 1992 event and the Phar-Mor scandal which followed, the future of the tournament appeared doubtful.
But several area businessmen, led by the late William Lyden and Ron Klingle, came to the tournament's rescue and formed a solid committee to begin the Youngstown-Warren LPGA Classic in 1993 at Avalon Lakes Golf Course.
In 1997 Giant Eagle became the official title sponsor of the tournament and has been ever since, even when the tournament moved from Avalon Lakes back to Squaw Creek Country Club in 2001. Squaw Creek hosted the tournament when it was The Phar-Mor event.
Purse growth
The tournament began in 1990 with a $400,000 purse and a $60,000 first place check. It was expanded to $500,000 in 1991, $550,000 in 1994, $600,000 in 1996 and $800,000 in 1998.
Giant Eagle helped to put the money purse to $1 million in 1999 and at that time the tournament was one of just 10 events on the LPGA Tour to offer a million or more.
In 1990 there were only two full-field events that offered $1 million, while in 2004 there are only two that don't pay out that much. The Giant Eagle has gone from the top-10 in 1999 to the bottom 10 in six years.
LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw, a native of the Valley as he was raised in Salem and graduated from South Range High, knows what this tournament means to the Valley.
"This is a wonderful event for the community and over the years the LPGA has enjoyed great success there," Votaw said.
"The LPGA has continued to talk with Mahoning Valley Sports Charities, it's an ongoing conversation," he said. "I'm totally optimistic that these discussions will end on a positive note."
Shootout canceled
The tournament has lost one sponsorship this year, which will affect one of the tournament's most popular events, the Tuesday afternoon Shootout.
Butler, Wick and Company, who has sponsored this event since 1993, will no longer be a sponsor and, according to Thomas, the event will not be held this year.
But that's the only thing that will be missing, according to Thomas, whose management team has operated the event since 1993. He was also the tournament manager from 1990-92 when he worked for Championship Management.
mollica@vindy.com