New Deal Keeps LPGA ShopRite Classic In South Jersey
GALLOWAY TWP, NJ (CBS) -- The LPGA is holding its annual ShopRite classic down the shore. And there's a new deal in place to keep the competition coming there through 2023.
This stop on the tour had been known as the Atlantic City Classic when it started in 1986. ShopRite took on the name six years later, and it's been a mutually beneficial partnership ever since.
"It's truly one of our favorite stops on the LPGA schedule for our players and staff alike," Ricki Lasky, Senior Vice President for Tournament Business Affairs told KYW Newsradio. "It's rich in history and tradition and it was kind of a no-brainer when we started talking about a long term extension."
It's thought that upwards of 75,000 fans will make their way to the Stockton Golf Club, one of five courses in Galloway Township.
That's a number that means a lot to Township Mayor Don Purdy.
"It's not just Galloway Township. It's the surrounding area and a lot of people travel from very far away, not just in the tri-state area to attend this event," Purdy said.
Many people need hotel rooms, and all of them need to eat. That means extra business, along with a few traffic headaches, although Purdy says over the years, they've come up with a shuttle system to minimize them.
There's even something extra for the golfers, as the prize pot is going up over the next two years by $250,000, to top out at $1.75 million.
