LPGA Legends

LPGA's Legends Tour will play first major championship at Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club

By Dave Scheiber, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Jul 16, 2009 11:52 AM

PALM HARBOR — When Sheila Johnson purchased Innisbrook in 2007, renovating the resort was priority No. 1, but landing an LPGA event was always part of her vision for growth.

That hope is now a reality, as Johnson announced Thursday that the LPGA's Legends Tour will stage its first major championship at Innisbrook's Island Course Nov. 20-22.

The $300,000 purse event — underwritten by the sponsorship of LPGA patron Dr. Haruhisa Handa —will feature an array of big names from women's golf. They include Hall of Famer Pat Bradley, defending Legends champion Rosie Jones, Nancy Lopez, Dale Eggeling, Colleen Walker and Renee Powell. The legends tour, for players over the age of 45, boasts nine Hall of Famers and more than 100 members, who have 600-plus LPGA tour wins and 55 major titles among them.

The minimum size of the field for the event is 40, and many players are expected to be added in the coming months. The event will kick off with a pro-am, followed by two days tournament play. Ticket information will be released Aug. 15.

"I, as a woman, bought this resort and it's only fitting that we can bring an LPGA event here," said Johnson, who owns the WNBA's Washington Mystics and a share of ownership in the NBA's Washington Wizards and NHL's Washington Capitals.

The wheels were set in motion by Legends Tour CEO Jane Blalock, who had heard about the changes Johnson was making at Innisbrook and knew of the Transitions' PGA tournament on the Copperhead Course. So Blalock, a winner of 27 LPGA tour events, decided to give Johnson a call.

"I had certainly read about Sheila, because I'm a sports fan," she said. "And I thought, 'Gosh, knowing the great history of golf in this area, wouldn't this be a great place to have one of our LPGA Legends Tour events. So I just made a cold call."

Johnson was immediately receptive to the idea. "I said, 'Done deal,' " she recalled. "I said, 'This was the call that I was waiting for.' I've been working with the LPGA, wanting to get them here. We've had many of the new, bright young players come in and play the Island Course, and they said it was a treat. But nothing was really happening — and suddenly Jane Blalock called."

Blalock traveled to Innisbrook to make a presentation, then met Johnson in person at the Transitions tournament in March.

"I think the big thing is we came with a title sponsor, someone putting up the prize money — we didn't come in saying we needed the community to put up all this money," she said.

Handa, chairman of the International Foundation for Arts and Culture and honorary chairman of the Japanese Blind Golf Association, has made a three-year commitment to the event.

"This is a win-win situation," Blalock said. Johnson still would like to land an LPGA tour event, but her focus now is on the Legends.

One of them, Bradley, is thrilled to return to the Tampa Bay area, where she competed often — and excited about competing on the senior tour.

"I'm still going to have an opportunity to play a game that I love and compete against wonderful players," she said. "Being on the Legends Tour has given me a second chance to bond with players that I tried to bury."

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JB said:

You beat me to it Soxy.
I am so surprised they are playing the Islands course. Copperhead is so world renowned as one of the best courses in the country and such a tough test. The Islands is just "okay". Both at the same location. But we should be headed there to watch this great event.
We hope some THP'ers will join us.

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kensisland said:

Going to resurrect this thread ... I went and saw the ladies play today, it was a great event. I can not believe the access you have to them ... followed Julie Inkster a few holes and I could have walked right next to her if I had wanted ...

But I think Kris Tschetter was the most personable ...

I have been to PGA events, and I enjoyed the Legends more ... the ladies were really appreciative of the support.

I would recommend going to one if you have chance ... these ladies are good!

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fupresti said:

Was this the one in Sun City West? Was it at Grandview?

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