RTO appears to be solid

RENO -- Even without a title sponsor, the Reno-Tahoe Open looks to be on solid footing for the next several years.

Despite not having a title sponsor, tournament director Jim Kline said the event should be able to continue in its current state -- and at the same time in August -- through 2006.

Kline said as long as the event maintains the local sponsorship that it has, it should continue through 2006. But unless a title sponsor is found, it also looks like the tournament will have to go up against the NEC Championships year-in and year-out as well.

Once again, the tournament at Montreux Golf and Country Club will have to go up against the NEC Championships when it is held from Aug. 19 through 25 in 2002.

Even without a title sponsor, the strength of the tournament was demonstrated when $250,000 of donations were given out to 26 local charities during a press conference held on Monday at the Sierra Pacific Power building in South Reno.

That's up from the $135,000 given to four charities in 1999, the first year of the tournament. In the three years of the tournament, the event has donated $550,000 to local charities.

"The search for a title sponsor is never ending," Kline said.

Kline said he will meet in January with a company he would not identify that could be a potential title sponsor. "Hopefully something good will come out of that," he said.

But Kline noted the search for a title sponsor has become more difficult since Sept. 11. "After Sept. 11, people stopped talking," he said.

And as far as a title sponsor, Kline admitted, "Right now, we're not close."

Kline also shot down the rumor on Monday that Southwest Airlines could possibly become a major sponsor of the event.

In order to hold the event on a different date so it wouldn't have to compete with the NEC Championships, a title sponsor would have to be found.

There are also really no open dates right now on the PGA Tour. "This week's open," said Kline jokingly. "Montreux might be kind of tough."

The PGA tournament in Canada that is held the week after the RTO has also lost its title sponsor, Air Canada.

"That's a long shot," said Kline about the RTO moving its event to one week later to fill that possible void. "I'm sure they're expecting to get a (title) sponsor, too."

In addition, Advil has dropped its sponsorship of the Western Open in Chicago, but it's not likely that the PGA will drop that tournament since its the oldest on the tour.

"It's kind of a mute point," said Kline about the RTO moving to another date.

Besides, Kline said the time that the RTO is now held isn't that bad. "It's really a pretty good date for us," he said. "As far as weather, as far as the conditions of the course.

"You pay your dues unless something comes open. You've got to crawl before you walk."

But until another date can be found, the RTO will take a back seat to the NEC Championships. The NEC will also expand its field from 30 to 80 golfers next year, which will further deplete the field of golfers that can play in the RTO.

Still, the RTO has become a popular event with players who don't go to the NEC.

Kline said 2001 RTO champion John Cook told him, "You just hang in there. Good things will come to you."

Steve Pate, a former Ryder Cup player, has also asked about playing at the 2002 RTO, Kline said.

"I'd love to have the Tigers," said Kline about the field. "There's only so much room on the tour and they can all play and as long as we are here, we are going to give them a chance to play."

But the obvious goal for the RTO is to have a title sponsor and a date of its own. Kline said if that's accomplished, the RTO would increase its purse from $3 million to at least $4 million. The RTO would also be televised on ESPN or one of the other major networks rather than on the Golf Channel.

If the tournament had a title sponsor, it should be able to donate at least $1 million annually to charities, Kline said. The Byron Nelson Classic donated $6 million to charities this year.

"We're able to give out this amount of money without a title sponsor," said Kline about the $250,000. "I don't think people realize that the tournament has done so well. We had our best year this past year."

Kline also said there's still money left to donate and encourages charities to make requests for grants throughout the year. "We still have more money to give out," he said.

In addition, a Champions Committee has been formed to increase support for the tournament.

"I just think there's a lot of companies out there we haven't even touched," Kline said.