"We will have a statement after the tournament."

Jeff Shain looks at the likelihood of Doral losing CA as its sponsor and the Tour having to find someone willing to put up the, gulp, $12 million or so necessary to sponsor a WGC event.

Without someone to pony up the approximately $12 million price tag each year, Doral could get stripped of its WGC status. One pessimistic view suggests the Blue Monster could fall off the schedule altogether. PGA Tour brass, however, rejects that scenario.

"I'm confident there will be a PGA Tour event here," tournament boss Eddie Carbone said at last month's CA media day.

Ty Votaw, the tour's executive vice president, was quick to stress that CA can't be counted out yet. He said the two sides will sit down after the event to discuss an extension to their four-year deal.

However, CA communications chief Bill Hughes didn't leave much room for optimism. "We will have a statement after the tournament," he said.

Well at least he didn't say they were looking to spend more time with the families.

Comments

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

$12,000,000 for a golf tournament? The PGA TOUR has lost its mind. Anyway, good luck with finding any publicly-traded company that sees "value" in that kind of expenditure, whatever the condition of the economy.

[Old Hornet]

Don't worry Ky, Tim & Co. always have TARP to fall back on......

[Wisconsin Reader]

For $12 million ($48 million over 4 years) you would have thought golf fans like us would have at least known what business CA is in? . . . I didn't . . . Of course I have apple computers and - well - you know - don't need virus stopping stuff. . .

http://shop.ca.com/

[dbh]

Lol, WR, you brought to mind Albert Brooks' Lost In America:

'...He asks how much the car will cost - including everything. Dealer prep, license, sticker, add-ons, extras, everything. The dealer names a price.

"That's everything?" Brooks asks.

"Except leather," the dealer says.

"For what I'm paying, I don't get leather?" Brooks asks, aghast.

"You get Mercedes leather."

"Mercedes leather? What's that?''

"Thick vinyl."...'

[Michael C.]

I'm disappointed - where're all the postings wanting to blame Tiger for this soon-to-be train wreck ...

[Average Golfer]

It's Tiger's fault.

[BenSeattle]

Oh my mercy me. You mean the venerable Doral event might one day be a NON-World Championship Golf event? What will we ever do without the limited-field, inflated purse and endless hype? Without that coveted "WCG" designation I'll probably NEVER watch again.... after all, Finchem and drones created this to add pretige, class and tradition, didn't they?

Oh, and can someone tell me just how many of these "World Championship Golf" events have been anywhere besides the good old USA? The sad fact is this: Finchem was terrified of Greg Norman's proposal for a "world tour," or at least a handful of nice events staged in other nations, so he and the PGA Tour simply ripped off the idea by inviting some international players, gouging sponsors for even MORE money and then happily holding them all in the States. The move was brazen and would be categorized as 'diabolical' if not mashed through in such a heavy-handed and obvious manner. Forget the nice-nice at the President's Cup -- Norman has every right to STILL be pissed.

[Farmingdale]

Wells Fargo is paying the Charlotte event $8,000,000 per thru 2014 for nothing. The tourney could trim that to $6mm, get $4mm from CA who then assumes the title, and then the only loser is Doral -- but if CA is going away form there anyway... And CA would get what is arguably a better field because Hank is down at Isleworth and Tiger's a comin' back!!!

[Thrifty]

The WGCs beyond their first few years, haven't been must-watches for me. All that's left for me are the majors, The Memorial, and The Players.

[RM]

What would it matter to any of us if purses were cut in half? The pros would still be overpaid. Six is the new twelve!