Kingsmill Championship 2012: Officials hope rich field will attract spectators
Officials of the Kingsmill Championship are hopeful that the 2012 edition of the tournament is going to boost the image of Ladies professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour, as the tournament is good enough to lure more spectators and sponsorship.
The upcoming edition of the Kingsmill Championship is going to start from September 6-9, at Williamsburg, Kingsmill Resort, River Course, Virginia, with a tough field and a hefty $1.3 million purse.
Tournament Director Katherine Thigpen expressed his hope for successful holding of Kingsmill Championship 2012. Speaking to the media about how he feels the tournament is going to benefit the LPGA Tour, Thigpen said that since the field is very rich, it is expected that crowd will flock to the venue in large numbers.
Thigpen particularly mentioned Stacy Lewis, Natalie Gulbis, Juli Inkster, Morgan Pressel and Michelle Wie, saying the presence of big names will help the officials reel in more cash and more fan-following.
Stacy Lewis, who belongs to the United States, currently ranks number two in the Women’s World Golf Rankings and is being regarded as the hot favourite for the prestigious title in Virginia.
“We are ecstatic to announce the commitment of these five extraordinary athletes,” Thigpen said.
The tournament is being welcomed by golf crazy American fans as it was not played in the 2010 and 2011 season, due to a disagreement with its sponsor Michelob Ultra beer in 2009, which led to the discontinuation of the contract.
The decision by Michelob Ultra beer to discontinue the sponsorship deal with Kingsmill Championship, which was named Michelob Ultra Open at the time, came as a big shock to the LPGA Tour and tournament’s officials. However, the officials tamped down doubts surrounding the future of the tournament in the 2012 season and announced its return to the Kingsmill earlier this season.
Thigpen added that the announced of the tournament’s return to Kingsmill — under a new name “Kingsmill Championship” — was welcomed by players and fans in the United States.
“We are thrilled to be able to attract a field of this caliber as the LPGA Tour makes its return to Williamsburg for the first time since 2009. You can really sense the excitement around the community as we are now just two weeks away from teeing it up,” the Director said.
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