O/T- Torrey Pines, tour stop no more?

[David Stamm]

It's being reported by Tod Leonard of the San Diego Union Tribune that the tour cannot find a replacement sponsor for Buick and the future of continung to have a tour event there is uncertain. When the tour is having trouble finding a tournament sponsor for one of it's events that earns some of the highest tv ratings for the year, that's significant. Either they will have to "float" it themsleves and tread water until they find a sponsor, or, drastically reduce the purse to attract a larger pool of pontential sponsors. The tour has about a dozen tournaments that it needs to re-sign with the sponsors over the next 2 years. I see some significant belt tighenting in the PGA Tour's future.....

[Jud_T]

Wow-if they can't get a sponsor in that part of the country, with the big names likely playing, they really are in belt-tightening mode...Can anyone say "Qualcomm Open at Barona Creek"?

[John Moore II]

Yeah, I think our good pal Greg Norman sees a tightening coming as well. Easy to see really, purses grew by huge amounts in just a few years, there has to be a balance come up sometime.

[Nick Asbrock]

Being so close to golf club manufacturing HQ in Carlsabad...... I would like to see one of the big club manufacturers sponder teh event at TP.

[Wade Whitehead]

I respectfully suggest decreasing purses.

WW

[Scott Coan]

Just think about what the LPGA is going through.  They are reducing their number of tournaments from something like 37 down to 23 next year.  That is an incredible reduction in overall purses.  If the PGA Tour thinks they can escape this hard reality they are sadly mistaken.

We have all had to bite the bullet in tha last 18 months or so.  Why should touring pro's be any different?

[PThomas]

Tiger  and Phil should put up half the money since they seem to win there all the time!

[Kalen Braley]

Just think about what the LPGA is going through.  They are reducing their number of tournaments from something like 37 down to 23 next year.  That is an incredible reduction in overall purses.  If the PGA Tour thinks they can escape this hard reality they are sadly mistaken.

We have all had to bite the bullet in tha last 18 months or so.  Why should touring pro's be any different?

Yes, but clearly Mr. Mayhugh hasn't been affected...he's travelling and playing more golf than ever!!    

[Joel_Stewart]

I respectfully suggest decreasing purses.

WW

Its not just the purses.  If you're a sponsor you write one really big check (so I've been told) which covers a lot of things other than just the purse. 

[Mike Benham]

Wow-if they can't get a sponsor in that part of the country, with the big names likely playing, they really are in belt-tightening mode...Can anyone say "Qualcomm Open at Barona Creek"?

San Diego is in all regards a sleepy little beach town.  San Diego County is huge (by measure of square miles) and for the most part, the region has not supported professional sports all that well.  Other then the Navy, there are not many major corporations headquarter in the area, and title sponsors usually like to have some connection to the local area.

If you think of the sponsors of the tournament over the years, it has been Andy Williams and Buick, those are the two that come to mind.  How the heck did Andy Williams get hooked up with San Diego?  I have no idea but Bing had the Crosby in Pebble Beach, Bob had the Hope in Palm Springs and Andy, being arguably one of the top 5 singer/entertainers at the time, probably filled the gap of the "West Coast Swing" to boost ratings ...

And it is likely that if it weren't for Buick, the day without a sponsor might have come a lot sooner ...

[Kalen Braley]

Wow-if they can't get a sponsor in that part of the country, with the big names likely playing, they really are in belt-tightening mode...Can anyone say "Qualcomm Open at Barona Creek"?

San Diego is in all regards a sleepy little beach town.  San Diego County is huge (by measure of square miles) and for the most part, the region has not supported professional sports all that well.  Other then the Navy, there are not many major corporations headquarter in the area, and title sponsors usually like to have some connection to the local area.

If you think of the sponsors of the tournament over the years, it has been Andy Williams and Buick, those are the two that come to mind.  How the heck did Andy Williams get hooked up with San Diego?  I have no idea but Bing had the Crosby in Pebble Beach, Bob had the Hope in Palm Springs and Andy, being arguably one of the top 5 singer/entertainers at the time, probably filled the gap of the "West Coast Swing" to boost ratings ...

And it is likely that if it weren't for Buick, the day without a sponsor might have come a lot sooner ...

Mike,

I'm guessing its a SoCal thing and not San Diego thing...because how does the 2nd largest market in the country (LA) not have a professional football team?  Maybe they're too busy surfing and smoking pot to be bothered by pro sports.. 

P.S.  Even Laker fans aren't real fan because the second that team starts going south they will have attendance like the Clips.