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No More Doom And Gloom For Innisbrook

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By MICK ELLIOTT

melliott@tampatrib.com

Published: March 14, 2009

PALM HARBOR - The Transitions Championship, Tampa Bay's annual PGA Tour stop, begins play this week at Innisbrook Resort, the fifth time in nine years the event will carry a new title-sponsor's name.

That's enough to make Tampa Bay a veritable Rock of Gibraltar on the PGA Tour schedule.

"The most solid title sponsor on tour," tournament director Gerald Goodman said.

No slight to the Tampa Bay-based optical lens-manufacturing company that in June signed a four-year contract to essentially save the tournament from cancellation, but the ways things have been going for the PGA Tour this season, there is not much competition.

The PGA Tour has - or began this year with - 13 events sponsored by banks, investment firms and credit card companies. And everybody knows today's financial world woes.

Included on the list of PGA Tour sponsors:

•Stanford Financial Group, a Houston-based investment group that was the title sponsor in Memphis, Tenn., but is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and FBI for alleged fraud.

•Wachovia, which sold off to cash-strapped Wells Fargo and simply does not want the Charlotte, N.C., event.

•U.S. Bank, which is ending its sponsor relationship with Milwaukee.

•FBR, which promises to host one more year in Phoenix before jumping ship.

•Northern Trust, recipient of a $1.5 billion bailout from the government and laid off 450 employees, then hosted its tournament week in Los Angeles with three nights of private-party entertainment featuring Earth, Wind and Fire, Chicago and Sheryl Crow.

"We have companies that are faced with potential bankruptcy, etc., and we'll just have to see how that plays out," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said recently.

All of a sudden, after years of sponsor envy and predicted doom, Tampa Bay's event is the tour's model of stability.

"We are very confident in our future," Transitions president Brett Craig said. "We actually had a record year in 2008 and we are forecasting a very strong 2009. Obviously, the economic times are going to put pressure on any sporting event, including the tour. But we are confident this is one of the better sporting venues to partner with."

All the same, professional golf has enjoyed better days.

After the attention and criticism generated by Northern Trust's glitzy tournament week, sponsors are suddenly extremely cautious about public perception.

Spots in pro-ams, the primary source for tournament revenue that customarily go for $10,000 and higher, are not selling as easily as they once did. Secondary sponsors, who in the past might have bought suites or put their corporate name in a hospitality tent, are worried about how such spending might be perceived by customers.

Morgan Stanley, presenting sponsor at the Memorial Tournament since 2005, announced company officials will not attend this year's event hosted by Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village. Wells Fargo, after purchasing Wachovia, pulled its name off the Charlotte event, turning the tournament into the Quail Hollow Championship.

"Golf has always made it through the test of time," Goodman said. "I'm hoping the way we know professional golf and the patterns that have worked in the past does not change, but we have to be ready to change - meaning, maybe more emphasis on getting crowds out here through ticket buyers. You may have less sponsorship.

"It's about perception. Right now in business it's tough to be seen out at any sporting event, but professional golf is centered around advertising. Transitions Optical is spending advertising dollars showing its brand."

For the Pinellas Park company headquartered on Belcher Road, the cost of hosting the tournament - title sponsors typically are on the hook for between $6 and $7 million a year - is being viewed as promotion and advertising.

Founded in 1990, Transitions was the first manufacturer to successfully commercialize a plastic photochromic lens, which adjusts in response to light. The company now markets worldwide and has manufacturing operations in Ireland, the Philippines, Brazil, Australia and Thailand.

"One cannot equate Transitions with Northern Trust in this case," Craig said. "We are two different companies. We are self-sustaining and financially viable. Now, having said that, we will be very balanced in our perspectives.

"Golf is a global sport and we are a global brand. We are exposing ourselves internationally with the championship and the PGA Tour, and we are doing it in key golfing countries in Europe, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia."

TOURNAMENT FACTS

WHEN: Thursday-Sunday

WHERE: Copperhead Course, Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club, Palm Harbor

LENGTH/PAR: 7,340 yards/71

FIELD: 144 players

PURSE: $5.4 million

WINNER'S SHARE: $972,000 to winner

TV: Thursday-Friday - Golf Channel, 3-6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday - NBC, Channel 8, 3-6 p.m.

TICKETS: Tickets are available at all Publix stores or by logging on to www.TransitionsChampionship.com.

SCHEDULE

Monday: Shelton Quarles Celebrity Pro-Am - 12:30 p.m. shotgun start

Tuesday: Professional practice rounds

Wednesday: Transitions Championship Pro-Am, tee times begin at 7:30 a.m.

Thursday: First-round tournament play, tee times begin approximately 7:30 a.m.

Friday: Second-round tournament play, tee times begin approximately 7:30 a.m.

Saturday: Third-round tournament play, tee times begin approximately 9 a.m.

Sunday: Final-round tournament play, tee times begin approximately 9 a.m.

MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY

Thursday is Military Appreciation Day. All active military will be welcomed to the Copperhead Course free of charge and can purchase up to four other half-price tickets in advance at locations at MacDill Air Force Base.

Military will be welcomed and offered special hospitality at the Michelob Brew Pub, which is being sponsored by Anheuser-Busch. In addition, the field of 144 PGA Tour pros will be escorted by standard bearers from the military.

PUBLIC PARKING

Monday-Wednesday: Under power lines at Klosterman and Belcher Road, $10

Thursday-Sunday: At St. Petersburg College, entrance at Klosterman and Belcher Road, $10

NEED TO KNOW

This will be the third of four stops on the Florida Swing, leading to the Masters. After the Honda in Palm Beach Gardens and the World Golf Championship CA Championship that ends today at Doral, the tour goes to Orlando for Bay Hill following its stop at Innisbrook. ... Fourteen players from the World Golf Ranking's top 50 are committed, including No.6 Vijay Singh, No.9 Kenny Perry, No.14 Steve Stricker, No.17 Jim Furyk and No.19 Adam Scott. ... Defending champion Sean O'Hair is off to a strong start in 2009, with three top-10s in five starts, and sits 12th in current FedExCup standings. His last time out, O'Hair won three matches en route to a tied for fifth finish at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. He knocked out Adam Scott, Boo Weekley and Ian Poulter before falling to Stewart Cink in the quarterfinals.

PAST WINNERS

2000

John Huston: The Palm Harbor resident was victorious on his home course, winning by three.

2001

Canceled because of 9/11.

2002

K.J. Choi: The South Korean opened with an 8-under 63 and cruised to a seven-shot win.

2003

Retief Goosen: The South African led after 36 and 54 holes and coasted to a three-shot victory.

2004

Vijay Singh: He opened with a 65 and closed with a 65 in securing his ninth win of the season.

2005

Carl Pettersson: The Swede shared the 54-hole lead, then closed with a 71 for his first PGA Tour win.

2006

K.J. Choi: He was solid from start to finish in becoming the tourney's only two-time winner.

2007

Mark Calcavecchia: Tied for 112th after one round, Calc made his move with a third-day 9-under 63.

2008

Sean O'Hair: Shot final-round 69 to finish 4 under, the highest winning score in tournament history.

Reporter Mick Elliott can be reached at (813) 281-2534.

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