World Championship moves to The Woodlands

The LPGA's Samsung World Championship is relocating to The Woodlands, golf course officials said Monday, citing a verbal agreement.

''It brings the winners of the four major championships. It brings the leading money winner. It brings the leader from Korea. The leader from Japan. The top 20 women golfers in the world will be coming here to The Woodlands,'' Paul Lazzaro, the golf course's operating vice president of marketing and public affairs, told Houston television station KRIV.

The Samsung World Championship had been played in Vallejo, Calif. It will take place at The Woodlands from Oct. 9-12 with a $800,000 purse, The Woodlands officials said.

The Woodlands had been the host of the PGA's Shell Houston tournament for 28 years, until losing the tournament to another Houston site. The PGA tournament was last played at The Woodlands in April.

''We think this is a perfect match for us. We recovered quickly getting the Samsung World Championship,'' said Bob Nelson, Woodlands operating vice president of hospitality and golf operations.

LPGA Hall of Famer and Woodlands resident Carol Mann said she is thrilled about the tournament's move.

''What we're going to see is a comparison in the total score that the men were able to generate and then we are going to see what can the women do there,'' she said. ''I think it is going to be very comparable.''

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