Tournament Moves To Upper Montclair Country Club
Clifton, N.J. – The LPGA and Octagon, the tournament’s management company, announced today that Sybase, Inc. will continue as the title sponsor of the LPGA Tour’s Sybase Classic through 2009. In addition to the contract extension, a purse increase to $1.4 million and tournament relocation to Upper Montclair Country Club were also announced for the May 14 – 20 event.
"Sybase is excited to continue our six-year partnership with the world-class LPGA Tour," said John Chen, chairman, CEO and president, Sybase. "In addition to being recognized by leading golfers, the venue gives our customers and partners from around the world a chance to network with other executives and strategize with industry experts."
"We appreciate and applaud Sybase’s commitment to the LPGA and its players, and we are pleased to announce the extension through 2009," LPGA Commissioner Carolyn F. Bivens said. "Sybase and the Sybase Classic have always represented excellence and the purse increase combined with the move to Upper Montclair Country Club will only continue this tradition."
Sybase, one of the largest independent software vendors in the world, has been the title sponsor of this annual Tri-State Area event since 1999. The 2006 LPGA Rolex Player of the Year Lorena Ochoa is the defending tournament champion. Past champions of the event that had been held since 1990 at Wykagyl Country Club in New Rochelle, N.Y. include LPGA Tour and World Golf Hall of Fame Members Betsy King, Juli Inkster, Beth Daniel, and Annika Sorenstam.
"We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Sybase and to announce our new venue of Upper Montclair Country Club," said Tim Erensen, Octagon Golf’s Chief Operating Officer. "We believe the move to Upper Montclair and the Garden State will create an unmatched experience for players, sponsors, volunteers and spectators."
The Sybase Classic marks the return of championship golf to Upper Montclair, a course with a storied past of hosting golf’s greatest professionals. The Club has hosted the Champions Tour from 1993 to 2002, the LPGA Tour in 1979, 1980 and 1984 and the PGA TOUR in 1962, 1966-1968 and 1970. Past champions include World Golf Hall of Fame Members Gene Littler (1960), Arnold Palmer (1967), Nancy Lopez (1980), Lee Trevino (1993 & 2000) and Raymond Floyd (1994).
"We welcome the return of the LPGA to the championship golf course at Upper Montclair Country Club," said Richard R. Dolan, President, Upper Montclair Country Club. "The 106-year old club has been home to some of the greatest golfers in history and is now continuing that tradition with today’s dynamic female golf superstars. It is only fitting that we welcome them back home."
About Sybase
Sybase is the largest global enterprise software company exclusively focused on managing and mobilizing information from the data center to the point of action. Sybase provides open, cross-platform solutions that securely deliver information anytime, anywhere, enabling customers to create an information edge. The world’s most critical data in commerce, communications, finance, government and healthcare runs on Sybase. For more information, visit the Sybase Web site: http://www.sybase.com.
About the Ladies Professional Golf Association
Featuring the world’s best women golfers, the LPGA’s membership includes touring, teaching and club professionals. The LPGA Tour in 2007 features 35 events, with total prize money of nearly $55 million. Since 1981, the LPGA and its tournaments have raised approximately $180 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. The LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla. For more information, log on to www.LPGA.com.
About Octagon’s Golf Division
Octagon’s Golf Division manages two Champions Tour events, The ACE Group Classic and SAS Championship presented by Forbes; three LPGA Tour events, Sybase Classic, LPGA NW Arkansas Championship presented by John Q. Hammons, and SemGroup Championship presented by John Q. Hammons; and one Nationwide Tour event, Rex Hospital Open. Octagon’s Golf Division also represents nearly 20 golfing professionals including Chris Smith, Natalie Gulbis, Christina Kim, Meg Mallon, and Beth Daniel. Additionally, Octagon represents marketing rights to Davis Love III, Gary Koch, and brothers, Bobby and Lanny Wadkins.
About Octagon
Octagon is the world’s largest sports and entertainment representation and marketing agency with global expertise in consulting, athletes & personalities, event management, property representation, marketing solutions, licensing and merchandising and talent procurement. As part of The Interpublic Group (NYSE:IPG), one of the world’s leading organizations of advertising agencies and marketing services, Octagon employs more than 1,000 people in 60 offices around the world. For further information please visit: www.octagon.com.
Contact:
Michael Ryan
Tournament Director, Octagon
(203) 354-7514
michael.ryan@octagon.com
Mark Francois
Marketing and Communications Manager, Octagon
(239) 593-3900 ext. 223
mark.francois@octagon.com
Joan Fronske, Public Relations, Sybase Inc.
(925) 236-4893
joan.fronske@sybase.com
