COMPANIES HIT THE GREEN OF SBC CLASSIC TOURNAMENT.

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

VALENCIA - From custom silver jewelry to ads for a male sex enhancement drug, the SBC Classic has provided a stage for businesses to parade their wares and brand names before golf enthusiasts.

This year's PGA Champions Tour event features such diverse sponsors as telecom giant SBC Communications, MasterCard, and drug maker Lilly ICOS's Cialis - an erectile dysfunction treatment that's been a PGA partner for two years.

``I don't need the stuff yet,'' said Mark Schoenwald, 37, a professional caddie from South Carolina, when asked about the drug's prominent ad framing the scoreboard. ``There are some expensive jokes about it. Maybe there's a community for it.''

There are also newcomers including Princess Cruises, a Valencia-based division of Carnival Cruise Lines, and several national sponsors such as telecommunications firm Alcatel and Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Corporate sponsorship, which accounts for roughly a third of the tournament's budget, has been steadily growing since the event began 16 years ago and arrived at the Valencia Country Club five years ago. SBC Classic marketing director Mike Bone said sponsor receipts have increased 20 percent compared with last year.

``We're really starting to get some national sponsors,'' he said. ``The first couple years was a pretty tough go. The first couple years was a lot of phone calling and meeting and telling people how great this thing is.

``Once the local community bought into it and started to see the opportunities for marketing, things started to turn.''

Sponsors also realize they're getting more than advertising or a round of golf with the pros, Bone said.

``Those executives are bringing business associates,'' he said. ``We had a technology sponsor who came out, said it was great, ... and picked up a million-dollar contract.''

Though it's not quite a marketing bonanza - the event featuring such golfing legends as Tom Kite and defending champ Gil Morgan is more laid-back than the prime PGA circuit of Tiger and Vijay - Bone believes receipts for the SBC Classic could grow about 10 percent a year.

More the better, Schoenwald said.

``Any company that would participate and sponsor one of our tournaments - God bless them,'' he said.

While tournament officials court corporate dollars, Brook and Sandee Rumph sat under a tent outside the course clubhouse, where they sell designer golf-themed jewelry.

The Koko P Sports company run by the Fort Worth, Texas, couple tails pro golf tournaments throughout the year. They're part of a dozen groups who paid about $2,000 to set up shop here.

``They bring a local flavor,'' Bone said. ``They bring an entertainment factor. It also provides sponsors a fairly inexpensive point of entry.''

Eugene Tong, [phone]

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) A groundskeeper makes a close cut on the 18th green at the Valencia Country Club for the SBC Classic, part of the PGA Champions Tour. Corporate sponsorship, which accounts for roughly a third of the tournament's budget, has been steadily growing.

(2) PGA Champions Tour player Fuzzy Zoeller talks strategy on the putting green at the Valencia Country Club on Tuesday, against a backdrop of a drug firm's advertisement.

(3) Curtis Strange hits out of a bunker Tuesday during the pro-am portion of the SBC Classic at Valencia Country Club.

David Crane/Staff Photographer

Box:

THE SCORE CARD

- Associated Press