The LPGA Safeway International announced a new purse and date on Wednesday, and while the money was modest – from $1.4 million to $1.5 million – the new date – March 19-25 -- may mean the return of Michelle Wie.
Tom Maletis, the president of the Tournament Golf Foundation that runs the Safeway International, said a contract with the LPGA on the aforementioned details was worked out this week at LPGA headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla. But prior to that, he had talked with Wie’s father, BJ, about a possible return of the 17-year-old phenom to the East Valley.
“By bouncing (the tournament) back a week to the new date, it helps us in a lot of ways,’’ said Maletis of the event that is held at Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club.
“It means we will have a week off between the tournament in Mexico and our tournament, and it makes us the lead-in tournament to the Kraft Nabisco Championship, which is the year’s first major (championship). But even more than that, it gives us the opportunity to invite Michelle Wie back after she missed last year. Coincidentally, our new date just happens to be the same week that Michelle has spring break.’’
Maletis said that he expects Wie, who played here in 2003 and 2004 on sponsor’s exemptions and drew large crowds, not to petition the LPGA this coming season for full-time status. According to LPGA bylaws, a player must be at least 18 to accept a full-time tour card unless their petition is granted.
“We don’t think she’s going to do that (petition); that she’ll still just play in selected tournaments without an LPGA card,’’ Maletis said. “And since she will be on spring break, well, that’s very promising. . . .
“But we won’t know until the first of the year, when BJ announces Michelle’s schedule for 2007.’’
As for the purse increase, “Every tournament is always raising there purses, and even though ours is a modest one, we don’t have to raise it much because we always get such a great field,’’ Maletis added.
Last year, the Safeway International boasted 10 of the top 10 players and 19 of the top 20. Along the way, it set a new tournament attendance record, as over 105,000 fans turned out for the week to watch Juli Inkster unseat Annika Sorenstam, who was going for a three-peat.
“That number of fans – well over 100,000 -- was amazing, considering the bad weather we got on Saturday,’’ Maletis observed. “And that was without Michelle Wie.
“So if we can get Michelle back in the field, and get all the top players again, it should be bigger and better than ever. We certainly hope that’s the way it all plays out.’’
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