LVI talks to new sponsors

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006 | 8:16 a.m.

After Michelin pulled its sponsorship of the local PGA Tour stop, tournament officials have been referring to the 2006 event as the "Las Vegas Invitational" -- the moniker it has carried for 17 of its 23 years.

But tournament manager Charlie Baron said the LVI name might only be temporary. He is confident the tournament will have a new title sponsor in time for this year's event.

"We're trying to finalize something right now," Baron said of talks with at least two companies he declined to name. "Right now, we're the Las Vegas Invitational (but) hopefully we'll have an announcement here shortly."

Baron said the Las Vegas Founders, the group that runs the tournament, is waiting on the PGA Tour to announce the details of its television package before a title sponsorship for the October event can be finalized.

"We're waiting to hear what's happening with the TV negotiations for '07 through '11 -- that will (be) a big factor in developing an overall sponsorship program," Baron said. "The Tour is in negotiations right now with the networks so what the sponsorship fees will be and all of that is still up in the air.

"Nothing has come out of Florida yet ... and we're just waiting to see what becomes of those negotiations."

Michelin ended its two-year sponsorship of the event after it was forced to pay millions of dollars in refunds in conjunction with the ill-fated 2005 U.S. Grand Prix Formula One race. All seven teams driving on Michelin tires refused to race because of tire safety concerns.

The 2006 Las Vegas tour stop is scheduled Oct. 12-15 at the TPC at Summerlin and the TPC at The Canyons.

Park awarded exemption

Bishop Gorman High School senior In-Bee Park has been granted a sponsor's exemption to play in the LPGA Takefuji Classic at the Las Vegas Country Club in April.

Park, 17, received sponsor's exemptions into the past two Takefuji Classics and finished in the top 10 both times. Last year, Park shot 12 under par and finished fifth; in 2004, she shot 2 under par and finished tied for eighth place.

The 2006 Takefuji Classic will be April 13-15 at the Las Vegas Country Club.

Also noted:

* The Sony Open in Hawaii, the first full-field event of the 2006 PGA Tour season, will get under way Thursday at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. Vijay Singh is the defending champion.

* Wes Short Jr., who earned his first PGA Tour victory at the Michelin Championship at Las Vegas last October, tied for 11th place at the Mercedes Championships this past weekend. Las Vegas native Robert Gamez finished tied for 17th.

* Former UNLV standout Ryan Moore was fourth on the PGA Tour in 2005 in nonmember earnings with $686,250 in 14 events. Moore trailed only Michael Campbell, Colin Montgomerie and Graeme McDowell on that list.

Brian Hilderbrand can be reached at 259-4089 or at bh@lasvegassun.com.