Presenting Sponsor Announced for Hammons Hotel Classic
GOLFING LEADERS: Present at the SemGroup announcement at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center are Renaissance Tulsa Hotel General Manager Robert Kisabeth, LPGA golfer and Tulsan Stacy Prammanasudh, SemGroup President and CEO Thomas Kivisto, LPGA golfer Christina Kim, Octagon Director of Sales Jerry Wilkins and Octagon COO Tim Erensen. Prammanasudh and Kim are members of Team SemGroup, explained in the attached article.
GTR Newspapers photo
The John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic has announced the commitment by SemGroup, L.P. to be the presenting sponsor for the annual LPGA Tour event scheduled September 4 – 10 at Cedar Ridge Country Club. The Tournament will now be called the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic presented by SemGroup.
“We are excited to partner with the LPGA Tour, John Q. Hammons Hotels and Octagon in this first-class event for the Tulsa community,” says Thomas Kivisto, president and CEO of SemGroup, L.P. “Our expectation is our commitment will enhance this event’s position as one of the top stops on the LPGA Tour.”
SemGroup is a midstream service company providing the energy industry means to move products from the wellhead to the wholesale marketplace. It is based in Tulsa and is one of the country’s largest privately held corporations.
“To get the commitment from a corporate citizen like SemGroup makes me feel even better about my commitment to the Tournament and to Tulsa,” says John Q. Hammons, chairman of John Q. Hammons Industries and owner of the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center. “I am excited about the 2006 Tournament being our best yet.”
Annika Sorenstam will defend her title in September and go for her fourth title in Tulsa in six years. Last year, Sorenstam held on to beat 2005 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Paula Creamer by one stroke and win back-to-back John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic titles.
“Our partnership with Mr. Hammons and the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center only grows with commitments from great local businessmen like Thomas Kivisto and Greg Wallace of SemGroup,” says Jerry Wilkins, director of sales for Octagon, managers of the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic presented by SemGroup.
In additional news, SemGroup announced the creation of Team SemGroup, made up of six LPGA Tour professionals who will compete against each other in a points race that concludes at the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic presented by SemGroup. Team SemGoup will be competing for a first-place $25,000 donation to the winning player’s charity of choice.
“Team SemGroup is made up of six of the top ladies on the LPGA Tour,” says Kivisto, “We are eager to see how the competition heats up through the year, culminating with our event here in Tulsa in September.”
2006 Team SemGroup members are Helen Alfreddson, Natalie Gulbis, Cristie Kerr, Christina Kim, Carin Koch and Stacy Prammanasudh, who will play for the Angel Network.
“We have always enjoyed playing in Tulsa and experiencing Mr. Hammons’ first-class hospitality,” says Prammanasudh. “Now, we have even greater incentive to play well leading up to and during our stay at the Renaissance.”
The points competition among Team SemGroup will begin with the SBS Open at Turtle Bay, the first official event of the LPGA season, and conclude with the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic presented by SemGroup, the 25th official event of the LPGA season. Points are awarded when Team SemGroup members finish or tie within the top-20 in all official tournaments and are based on the money distribution for each tournament, with every $1,000 earned being the equivalent of one point. Points are doubled at the LPGA’s four major championships and have triple value at the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic presented by SemGroup. After the Tournament, first place in the points race will win $25,000 for her charity of choice.
“I think this is a very unique program for the players and I am excited to be included,” says Gulbis. “I really want to win the $25,000 for the Natalie Gulbis Foundation.”
“It is an honor to be chosen to be on Team SemGroup and compete against Helen, Natalie, Carin, Stacy and Cristie,” says Kim. “I hope I can capture both the Team SemGroup title and the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic presented by SemGroup trophy in September.”
“Having this year-long competition among Team SemGroup adds to the excitement for this year’s tournament,” says Robert Kisabeth, General Manager of the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center, a John Q. Hammons Industries property and host facility for the LPGA players in Tulsa.
Updated 02-23-2006
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