Future of Bobby Ginn Sponsored Golf Tournaments may be Clouded
Ginn holds two professional golf tournaments in Palm Coast Florida. Both may be in jeopardy after 2009 according to a Golf World article.
Palm Coast, Florida – July 28, 2008 – In a Golf World piece dated July 27th, executive editor Ron Sirak raises the issue of continued sponsorship of professional golf tournaments by Bobby Ginn’s Ginn Resort’s. Multiple (unnamed) sources told Sirak that the Ginn Tribute, an LPGA event played at RiverTowne CC near Charleston, SC will be not be played in 2009. Ginn has contractual obligations to both the LPGA and NBC for two more years. NBC broadcast the Ginn Tribute.
Ginn sponsors a total of four professional golf tour events:
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Ginn Championship at Hammock Beach’s Ocean Course, Palm Coast, FL (PGA Champions Tour)
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Ginn sur Mer Classic at The Conservatory in Palm Coast, FL (PGA Fall Tour)
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Ginn Tribute played at RiverTowne CC near Charleston, SC (LPGA)
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Ginn Open played at Reunion, near Orlando (LPGA)
The Ginn Championship played its second consecutive year at Hammock Beach in 2008 on the Jack Nicklaus designed Ocean Course in Palm Coast, FL. Ginn has a five-year contract for this event.The Ginn sur Mer Classic is a five-year contract. The first year was held in 2007 at Ginn’s Tesoro development in Port St. Lucie, Fl. It will be held this year at The Conservatory’s Tom Watson designed course, also in Palm Coast, FL. Ginn has a five-year contract for this event as well.
Ginn spokesman, Ryan Julison is quoted saying, "The [Ginn sur Mer] Classic, the [Ginn] Championship and the Ginn Open are happening this year and next. After we get past the Ginn Open we don’t know what the future holds."
"If I had to handicap the situation right now I would say that it is less than 50-50 that the Ginn Tribute will happen in 2009, LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens told Golf World."That said, we will have a tournament to replace it."
"It is all speculation and unnamed sources," said Julison when asked to comment on the Golf World article.
Rumor: (noun) A current story or statement without confirmation or certainty as to facts
Ginn, Going, Gone?
Looks like it might be a good idea to use up our VIP points this year, huh?
Ginn Tribute is gone
I read in Saturday’s Jacksonville newspaper that The Ginn Tribute is now cancelled, according to Bobby Ginn, a major sponsor could not be found
BellSouth Classic Cancelled
After a 35 year run the Bell South Classic PGA event in Atlanta, Georgia, staged at the Atlanta Country Club and then moved to the Sugarloaf Country Club was also cancelled for 2009 for the same reasons. The Atlanta Classic Foundation also could not find a sponsor as ATT bailed out of the sponsorship. No replacement has been found and therefore it has been cancelled. A sign of the times rather than a sign of the named organizor.