Tour prize money eclipses $50 million for first time
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., May 17, 2006 — The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) today announced the addition of the $1.3 million Honda LPGA Thailand 2006 to the 2006 LPGA Tour schedule. The Honda LPGA Thailand 2006 will be played Oct. 20-22 at Amata Spring Country Club near Bangkok, marking the LPGA Tour’s first visit to Thailand. The addition of the $1.3 million event brings total prize for the 2006 LPGA Tour to more than $50 million for the first-time in LPGA history. Players will now compete for $50.275 million.
"We are thrilled to be bringing the LPGA to Thailand for the inaugural Honda LPGA Thailand 2006," said LPGA Commissioner Carolyn F. Bivens. "LPGA players are the best golfers in the world and come from all corners of the globe. To be able to showcase their talents to the fans in Thailand as well as Thailand’s rich culture to the global television audience is terrific. Combining these great players with Honda, a quality global corporation, Channel 7, the leading Thailand media company, and IMG’s expertise, will create a wonderful event for fans, players, media and sponsors."
Speaking at the press conference in Thailand to announce Honda’s title sponsorship, Mr. Hiroshi Toda, president, Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd., representing the Honda Group of Companies in Thailand, said Honda was delighted to create this opportunity for Thai golf fans to witness the world’s best women golfers in action. "The Honda LPGA Thailand 2006 tournament will receive global media coverage and put Thailand firmly on the world golfing map.
"The Honda Group of Companies in Thailand has been supporting LPGA Tour rookie Virada Nirapathpongporn since the start of her pro career and the Honda LPGA Thailand 2006 tournament will allow her to play in front of her home fans," said Toda.
The 54-hole event will feature a 60-player field and television coverage on Bangkok Broadcasting & TV, Co. (BBTV Channel 7) in Thailand; coverage in the United States will be announced in the future.
Ms. Surang Prempree, managing director of Bangkok Broadcasting & TV Co., Ltd. said, "Channel 7 hosts international events to promote our country, our culture and our people’s warm character and skills to the world. Channel 7 has a long-term commitment of hosting major international sports and entertainment events. Thailand has hosted many major men’s golf events over the years and Channel 7 feels it is the right time to introduce world-class women’s golf to Thailand for a number of reasons. Firstly, we want to promote sport to all youth and we want to support Thailand’s young sports women in addition to sports men. We feel the opportunity to host the LPGA Tour in Thailand will provide opportunities to our young up and coming golfers. We feel the experience will provide excellent training and support for our Thai golfers, so that they can go on to achieve their international golfing goals in future years and in so doing bring recognition to Thai golf and Thai people."
Host venue Amata Spring Country Club is a first-class golf facility located in Chonburi, and IMG Golf Course Management is the club and operations consultants. The private members’ club opened in May 2005 and is designed by Schmidt-Curley Design.
About Honda
Established over 40 years ago, the Honda Group of Companies in Thailand has grown rapidly to become one of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.’s most important manufacturing and marketing bases in Asia. Today, the Group employs over 8,000 Thai associates and indirectly creates employment opportunities for another 80,000 Thais.
In 2006, the Group expects to manufacture over 1.5 million motorcycles, 120,000 automobiles and 1.75 million power products in Thailand and export Baht 88,000 million of "Made in Thailand" products to some 70 countries around the world.
Honda is one of the world’s leading advanced technology mobility companies. It is the world’s largest manufacturer of clean, fuel-efficient engines and the world’s largest producer of motorcycles. In 2006 Honda expects to serve 23 million motorcycle, automobile and power product customers.
About BBTV Channel 7
Channel 7, owned by the Bangkok Broadcasting & Television Co., Ltd. under license from the Royal Thai Army, is Thailand’s highest rated television station transmitting on a terrestrial basis. Channel 7 pioneered colour television transmissions in Thailand and all of South East Asia starting in 1967. With 40 years in the TV industry, Channel 7 currently operates 39 TV transmitting stations as a network all over Thailand. Channel 7 continues to be the industry leader for producing innovative content including sports and golf specifically and drama and news. In addition to programme production and broadcasting, Channel 7 is focused on managing and promoting major special events focused on enriching the lives of Thais around the country and showcasing Thailand’s artistic and sporting talents to the world.
Channel 7 employs over 1,000 staff around the country. For more information, log on to www.ch7.com
About IMG
IMG is the world’s premier Sports, Entertainment and Media Company. IMG is a diversified global business with two major business segments: IMG Sports & Entertainment, and IMG Media. IMG employs over 2,300 people in 30 countries. Forstmann Little & Co. purchased IMG in 2004.
IMG Sports & Entertainment includes consulting services; event ownership and management; fashion events and models representation; golf course design; licensing; client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, baseball, hockey, football, European football, rugby, cricket, motorsports, coaching, Olympic sports and action sports. In addition, IMG Academies are the world’s largest and most successful, multi-sport training and education facilities.
IMG Media, which includes our TWI subsidiary, is recognized as a global leader in the delivery of new media services, with Internet, broadband and mobile expertise, transforming how audiences access and interact with content. In addition, IMG Media produces and distributes over 9,000 hours of content annually, including award winning television and radio programming, over multiple platforms across 200 countries and covering more than 240 sports. It also represents the broadcast rights to many of the world’s premier sporting events and has the world’s biggest sports archive with more than 200,000 hours of footage.
About the LPGA
Featuring the world’s best women golfers, the LPGA’s membership includes touring, teaching and club professionals. The LPGA Tour in 2006 features 35 events, with total prize money of more than $50 million. Since 1981, the LPGA and its tournaments have raised approximately $170 million for charity. From the dreams of its 13 founders in 1950, the LPGA has evolved into the world’s pre-eminent women’s professional sports organization. The LPGA has grown from its roots as a playing tour into a non-profit organization involved in every facet of golf. In addition to the LPGA Tour members, the LPGA membership includes nearly 1,200 certified Teaching and Club Professionals (T&CP) who serve the golf industry in teaching, coaching and management positions. The LPGA T&CP member programs focus on increasing the involvement of women, girls and youth in golf, as well as contribute to the growth of the sport overall. The LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla. For more information on the LPGA, log on to www.LPGA.com.
Contact:
Connie Wilson, LPGA
386-274-6200
connie.wilson@lpga.com
Palakorn Somsuwan, Channel 7
+66 2617 6180 ext. 122
palakorn@ch7.com
Jimmy Heosontaty, IMG Thailand
+66 2651 8326
jheosontaty@imgworld.com
