PGA dropping Atlanta-area tour stop

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., June 9 (UPI) -- PGA Tour officials said Monday they are removing the Atlanta-area tour stop from their 2009 schedule, ending a 42-year association.

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said the failure of the Atlanta-area tournament to find a sponsor led to the decision. The tournament was known as the AT&T Classic the past two years and the BellSouth Classic for 15 years prior to that. It was operation by the Atlanta Classic Foundation.

"We regret having to notify the Atlanta Classic Foundation of this decision, but the absence of a title sponsor at this point has necessitated the move in order to solidify the schedule for the future," Finchem said.

A replacement for the Atlanta stop, which was in May this year, hasn't been announced. Finchem said changes in the 2009 PGA schedule would be announced this month.

He did say the PGA would schedule a Champions Tour event for TPC Sugarloaf at Duluth, Ga., where the AT&T Classic and BellSouth Classic had been played since 1997.

Ryuji Imada won the AT&T Classic in May, beating Kenny Perry in a playoff. Bob Charles won the first Atlanta Classic in 1967.