LPGA Tour Skins Game
coming to Maui in '03

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By Doug Ferguson
AP Golf Writer

The LPGA Tour will start a little earlier next year -- at least for four players.

After a five-year hiatus, the Women's Skins Game will be back on the schedule in 2003, played at Wailea Golf Club on Maui the last week of January.

Two sources with the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Women's Skins Game will be played in conjunction with the seniors, although the competition -- and television times -- will be different.

While the Senior Skins will be televised the same day by ABC Sports, sources from both tours said the Women's Skins will be shown on tape delay by ESPN.

Laura Davies won the last Women's Skins Game in 1998, when it was played in Frisco, Texas. She will be asked to return as defending champion. Two tournament sources, who also asked not to be identified, say the other players probably will be Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb and Laura Diaz.

In terms of corporate sponsorship, the development also affects the regular Skins Game played over Thanksgiving weekend.

LPGA and tournament sources say ConAgra, the Omaha, Neb.-based food conglomerate, is close to signing on as the title sponsor for all three events.