Handa Cup golf tournament won't return to Manatee

MANATEE -- The ISPS Handa Cup, an LPGA Legends Tour match play tournament pitting the United States against the rest of the world, won't be returning to Palm-Aire Country Club in southern Manatee County.

The tournament's title sponsor, Dr. Haruhisa Handa, and the Legends Tour chose to postpone this year's tournament, according to a news release.

Handa also asked that the event move outside the United States in 2017 for the first time in its 10-year history, the release added.

That means Palm-Aire and Manatee County have struck out on hosting the tournament, which saw Team USA win in dramatic fashion last November, for a second consecutive year.

"We were thrilled to stage our premier event in Sarasota last fall at Palm-Aire Country Club," Legends Tour chief executive officer Jane Blalock said in the release. "And we remain optimistic that the Legends Tour will return to this fantastic club, should the opportunity present itself in the future."

The two-day, 36-hole team event saw the highest attendance in its history last November when it was contested at Palm-Aire's Champions Course.

Danielle Ammaccapane holed-out from 105-yards away for a birdie on the 18th hole to earn a pivotal point for Team USA, which peeled off a narrow, 26-22, victory over the World Team.

"On behalf of Palm-Aire, I have to say while we are disappointed in the recent change of plans for the ISPS Handa Cup, we were proud to have hosted the premier event on The Legends Tour schedule," said Palm-Aire general manager and chief operating officer Joe Rassett in the release.

Officials from the LPGA, Legends Tour and Palm-Aire did not return calls from the Herald seeking comment.

This story was originally published April 15, 2016 at 11:58 PM with the headline "Handa Cup golf tournament won't return to Manatee ."