Director is ‘confident’ event will continue

Adam Candee

Monday, April 18, 2005 | 9:33 a.m.

If only everyone enjoyed the LPGA Takefuji Classic as much as Wendy Ward did, there would be no question if she is coming back next year.

Then again, that could be asking a lot of everyone.

Earning her first tour victory in four years, Ward led throughout the event and set a new tournament record at 16-under, holding off Lorena Ochoa by two strokes. The emotion of the long-awaited win started to overcome Ward on the 18th green Saturday at Las Vegas Country Club as she finished off a 5-under 67.

"It almost came out before I hit that second putt," Ward said. "But I wanted to see that go in. I got a couple of hugs from Karrie (Webb) and Moira (Dunn), and then when I caught eye contact with my husband, I just lost it. It's almost like being at the altar."

In a way, that's where the tournament is right now: at the altar, waiting to lock into a new relationship. Ward's par putt closed the three-year sponsorship deal that Takefuji, a Japanese banking corporation, had to back the event. There is no new deal in place and therefore, no guarantee that the LPGA will have a tournament next year in Las Vegas.

That decision will come by June, said Matsujiro Kawana, executive director of the Takefuji Classic. The decision is in Takefuji's hands.

"They cannot say yes now for a fact," Kawana said through an interpreter. "I am confident that this tournament is going to happen again."

Kawana is the president of AJ Sports, the company that operates the tournament. He said that Takefuji representatives attended the tournament this week and were impressed by the quality of the event and location, as well as the galleries. Crowds were sparse throughout the week, with about 300 fans circling the 18th green as Ward completed her third sub-70 round of the week to claim the $165,000 winner's check.

The crowds are not the greatest concern for Takefuji, which does not conduct business in the United States. The pro-am tournament is a great event for their weeklong hospitality of invited guests and the TV broadcast to Japan - which necessitates the odd Thursday to Saturday tournament format - apparently draws decent ratings.

Kawana is set to continue negotiations with Takefuji next week. The company's board of directors meets in June, at which time a final decision will be made.

The Takefuji Classic completed its sixth year of existence in 2005. The first three years of the tournament were held in Hawaii before the company moved the tournament to Las Vegas for the past three years.

Another player who would love to see the tournament return is In-Bee Park. A junior at Bishop Gorman High, Park finished alone in fifth at 12-under, making the most of a sponsor's exemption for the second consecutive year. In 2004, Park tied for eighth and she set out to top that finish this year.

"This was my goal and I'm really happy to achieve my goal," Park said.

Fellow teenage star Paula Creamer tied for third with Shi Hyun Ahn at 13-under, both earning checks for almost $66,000. Ahn shot a 9-under 63 Saturday, tying the single-round tournament mark set Friday by Ochoa.

Only a slow round of 2-over 74 on Thursday kept Ochoa from a victory. Ochoa rebounded to shoot 63-65 in her next two rounds.

"I did everything I could and Wendy just had a great day," Ochoa said. "You know, she never went down. Every time I looked (in the group) behind, she was close to the pin. People were clapping. She was making putts. It was a really good day for her."

Park, an amateur, would have walked away with more than $40,000 for her strong play, including a final round of 5-under 67. That's OK with her, though.

"I can make a lot later on," Park said.