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LPGA Announces Complete 2003 Tour Schedule Fan base grows; prize money increases more than $2 million Contact Connie Wilson LPGA 386-274-6271 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 5, 2003) - Ty M. Votaw, commissioner of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), today released the Tour's complete 2003 schedule. Fans of the LPGA will be treated to a schedule of events consistent with 2002, one of the most thrilling and successful seasons in LPGA history, and players' economic opportunities will be even stronger, as nearly 50 percent of the events have raised their purses for 2003. "We are extremely pleased with the strength of our 2003 schedule," Votaw said. "It speaks volumes about the health of the LPGA and the dedication of our tournament sponsors and local communities, especially during some very challenging economic times. With nearly 50 percent of our official events having raised their purses for 2003, we are very excited to be able to offer our membership increased economic opportunities this season." The 2003 LPGA Tour schedule includes 35 events, 23 of which will be full-field events, the same as in 2002, and 31 events will be official money events. In addition, total prize money in 2003 is greater than in 2002; total prize money is more than $41 million, representing an increase of $2.255 million from 2002. "The 2003 purse increases are building on the momentum we established in 2002 with our new Fans First approach, which resulted in tournament attendance increasing 12 percent, LPGA television viewership increasing more than 20 percent and LPGA.com traffic increasing 51 percent in page views during the season, 38 percent in unique visitors and 200 percent in registered users," said Votaw. One of the highlights in 2003 will be the eighth staging of The Solheim Cup. Last September at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn., the U.S. Team staged a dramatic comeback against an immensely talented European squad. Fans and media alike will enjoy another thrilling competition when the best U.S.-born players from the LPGA and European-born members of the Evian Ladies European Tour head to Barseback Golf and Country Club in Malmo, Sweden. Additional key highlights from the 2003 schedule are as follows: The average purse for the official LPGA events is $1.25 million, representing a 14-percent increase from 2002 and the highest ever in LPGA history. Three of the LPGA Tour's four major championships - the Kraft Nabisco Championship, McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by AIG and the Weetabix Women's British Open - feature purses of $1.6 million, a $100,000 increase for each event from 2002. The U.S. Women's Open features the highest purse at $3 million. The LPGA has a new event in Williamsburg, Va., the Michelob Light Open at Kingsmill, featuring a purse of $1.6 million. The Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore., has increased its purse by $200,000 to $1.2 million. Safeway, in addition to hosting the Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore., expanded its commitment to the LPGA and serves as co-sponsor with PING of the Safeway PING Presented by Yoplait in Phoenix. The LPGA Skins game sponsored by ConAgra Foods returned to the LPGA schedule for the first time since 1998. The event was held Jan. 26 in Maui, Hawaii and will air later this year on ESPN2. The Office Depot Championship Hosted by Amy Alcott features a purse of $1.5 million, a $500,000 increase from 2002. Texas will once again be the site of a premier LPGA event, as the Samsung World Championship will be held at the TPC at The Woodlands in The Woodlands, a suburb of Houston. The Chick-fil-A Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez will be played for $1.35 million, up $100,000 from 2002. Five other events have increased their purses by $100,000 for 2003: the ShopRite LPGA Classic; BMO Financial Group Canadian Women's Open; Wendy's Championship for Children at Tartan Fields; State Farm Classic; and Longs Drugs Challenge. The LPGA returns to Las Vegas with the LPGA Takefuji Classic, which relocated to Las Vegas from Hawaii and increased its purse by $200,000 to $1.1 million. The television schedule for 2003 will be released at a later date, and coverage is expected increase from 2002. In 2002, 31 of 35 events were televised, representing more than 240 hours of coverage in the United States. LPGA events were broadcast to more than 140 countries worldwide in 2002. The purses, dates and sites for the LPGA's four majors are: the Kraft Nabisco Championship, $1.6 million, March 27-30, at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.; the McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by AIG, $1.6 million, June 5-8, at the DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, Del.; the U.S. Women's Open, $3 million, July 3-6, at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore.; and the Weetabix Women's British Open, $1.6 million, July 31-Aug. 3, at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. See the complete LPGA Tour schedule at www.lpga.com.