KAHUKU — On a day when the LPGA wanted to celebrate a new season with a fascinating variety of "new" faces and a groundbreaking television contract there was, instead, sadness in the tropical air.

The SBS Open at Turtle Bay starts the LPGA season today at the resort's Palmer Course.

Hawai'i's Michelle Wie, whose LPGA career is nearly 50 events old, will play at home in her first event as an official member. She belongs to a heralded rookie class that has former SBS champion Paula Creamer, 22, and reigning Kapalua LPGA Classic champion Morgan Pressel, 20, feeling old.

And, in a hastily called press conference yesterday, the tour announced a 10-year agreement with The Golf Channel that makes it the only "stand-alone women's professional sports association" in the U.S. to receive an undisclosed rights fee for domestic coverage.

But, aside from Wie's presence, the biggest impact locally appeared in an online story by GolfWorld Executive Editor Ron Sirak that detailed a new agreement for Korean television rights — the tour's largest single revenue source — between the LPGA and J Golf cable.

The deal would end a 15-year relationship between the tour and SBS, or Seoul Broadcasting System, one of the three major national networks in Korea. It would, in all probability, also end SBS's title sponsorship at Turtle Bay. The initial five-year agreement ends this year.

LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens' only comment on the future of this event was it is "in conversations."

David Higdon, the tour's chief communications officer brought in specifically to discuss the event's future, would say only that "any future discussions will be in the future." Asked about the J Golf report, he said: "We only talk about things when they are signed, sealed and delivered."

For now, only Wie has been delivered. The 19-year-old has collected more than $800,000 on the tour without actually winning, or being a member. That changed at last fall's Q-School, where she came in sixth.

"It feels a little different being a rookie out here," said Wie, who finished second at age 15 in the inaugural SBS. "I'm glad I got to come back home for it. I'm really excited."

The Punahou graduate, now deep into her sophomore year at Stanford, said she hasn't been in Hawai'i in six months.

"I'm just loving home, loving the weather, loving the golf course," Wie said. "I've never seen the golf course in better condition. ... Hopefully, the wind won't be that brutal, but I've had some good moments here in the past and hopefully, I can do better this year."

Wie admits to a case of nerves, lots of emotion, a "huge dose of excitement" and "feeling strange" about her rookie status. She also calls this a "whole new beginning for me."

"I'm not thinking about the past and not really thinking too much in the future," she said. "Just thinking about this week, tomorrow and just going to think about what I can do best in each moment."

Wie also had success here in 2006, when she became the first woman to win a local U.S. Open qualifier. She has played well here in the wind, with crowds and without. It saddens her that this could be the final SBS Open.

"Having tournaments here gives me a little excuse to come home," Wie said. "It is a great tournament. It's a great venue. Everything's good about it, so why not keep it going?"

Along with Wie, Hawai'i has four other LPGA connections. Former University of Hawai'i golfer Cindy Rarick, whose first LPGA victory came at Turtle Bay in 1987, represents Waikoloa Resort. Pressel represents Kapalua and Dorothy Delasin Turtle Bay, while Ka'anapali recently picked up Big Break winner Kim Welch.

Creamer won here in 2007 and would have defended her Fields Open in Hawai'i championship next week ... if that tournament hadn't ended last year. There were eight major pro golf events in Hawai'i four years ago and six remain, with the Grand Slam, Turtle Bay Championship and Fields gone and Kapalua's LPGA event starting last year (this year's is Oct. 15 to 18).

"This is a vehicle we use to promote Hawai'i — not only golf in Hawai'i, but Hawai'i," said Turtle Bay Director of Golf Matt Hall, also president of the Aloha Section PGA. "When it goes away, it's hard to replace with something as substantial."

Clearly, the players do not want SBS to go away. Asked what she would miss Creamer, who has played all five years, said quickly, "waking up every morning and looking at that view, you can't mess with that. ... The golf course, you can't complain about that. Having the wind blow every day in different directions, things like that, it just shows who's on top of their game, and I like that."

Pressel, who had top-five finishes here in 2006 and 2007, took it somewhat personally.

"It's Hawai'i," she said. "It's always nice to come to this event. They treat us really well here at Turtle Bay. It's a beautiful event on the North Shore and I certainly look forward to coming out here, and going to Kapalua next week for vacation. I wouldn't be able to tie it in as nicely. It certainly would be disappointing."

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043

SBS OPEN AT TURTLE BAY

TODAY'S TEE TIMES

FIRST ROUND

FIRST TEE

7:10 a.m.—Becky Lucidi, Carolina Llano, Na On Min. 7:20—Marcy Hart, Angela Jerman, Beth Bader. 7:30—Young-A Yang, Leah Wigger, Eunjung Yi. 7:40—Stephanie Louden, Mika Miyazato, Allison Hanna-Williams. 7:50—Reilley Rankin, Erica Blasberg, Russy Gulyanamitta.

8:00—Kelli Kuehne, Becky Iverson, Maggie Will. 8:10—Anja Monke, Carri Wood, Samantha Richdale. 8:20—Louise Friberg, H.J. Choi, Yani Tseng. 8:30—Hee-Won Han, Jimin Kang, Laura Diaz. 8:40—Teresa Lu, Lindsey Wright, Meaghan Francella. 8:50—Brittany Lang, Kristy McPherson, Jane Park. 9:00—Jiyai Shin, Katie Futcher, Il Mi Chung.

11:50—Se Ri Pak, Janice Moodie, Nicole Castrale. Noon—Hee Young Park, Angela Park, Allison Fouch. 12:10—Sandra Gal, Jill McGill, Heather Young. 12:20—Christina Kim, Rachel Hetherington, Wendy Ward. 12:30—Morgan Pressel, Sophie Gustafson, Natalie Gulbis. 12:40—Dorothy Delasin, Stacy Lewis, Vicky Hurst. 12:50—Michelle Wie, Haeji Kang, Jin Young Pak.

1:00—Audra Burks, Jamie Hullett, Jackie Gallagher-Smith. 1:10—Eva Dahllof, Kim Hall, Jimin Jeong. 1:20—Mindy Kim, Mikaela Parmlid, Jennifer Rosales. 1:30—Anna Rawson, Paige Mackenzie, Amy Yang.

TENTH TEE

7:10 a.m.—Taylor Leon, Kris Tamulis, Birdie Kim. 7:20—Johanna Mundy, Lisa Strom, Kyeong Bae. 7:30—Louise Stahle, Aree Song, Danielle Downey. 7:40—Cindy Rarick, Wendy Doolan, Janell Howland. 7:50—Karine Icher, Michelle McGann, Charlotte Mayorkas.

8:00—Sarah Lee, Kate Golden, Na Ri Kim. 8:10—Julieta Granada, Jeehae Lee, Anna Nordqvist. 8:20—In-Kyung Kim, Paula Creamer, Suzann Pettersen. 8:30—Stacy Prammanasudh, Cristie Kerr, Shanshan Feng. 8:40—Angela Stanford, Eun-Hee Ji, Juli Inkster. 8:50—Jee Young Lee, Alena Sharp, Young Kim. 9:00—Lorie Kane, Leta Lindley, Silvia Cavalleri.

11:50—Sun Young Yoo, Brittany Lincicome, Minea Blomqvist. Noon—Na Yeon Choi, Candie Kung, Momoko Ueda. 12:10—Liselotte Neumann, Pat Hurst, Irene Cho. 12:20—Meena Lee, Ai Miyazato, Michele Redman. 12:30—Michelle Ellis, Giulia Sergas, Grace Park. 12:40—Song Yi Choi, M.J. Hur, Moira Dunn. 12:50—Meredith Duncan, Shiho Oyama, Joo Mi Kim.

1:00—Jeanne Cho-Hunicke, Sung Ah Yim, Mollie Fankhauser. 1:10—Linda Wessberg, Sarah Jane Smith, Young Jo. 1:20—Hee Kyung Seo, Ha Neul Kim, Chella Choi. 1:30—Anna Grzebien, Amy Hung, Soo-Yun Kang.

TOMORROW'S TEE TIMES

SECOND ROUND

FIRST TEE

7:10 a.m.—Song Yi Choi, M.J. Hur, Moira Dunn. 7:20—Meredith Duncan, Shiho Oyama, Joo Mi Kim. 7:30—Jeanne Cho-Hunicke, Sung Ah Yim, Mollie Fankhauser. 7:40—Linda Wessberg, Sarah Jane Smith, Young Jo. 7:50—Hee Kyung Seo, Ha Neul Kim, Chella Choi.

8:00—Anna Grzebien, Amy Hung, Soo-Yun Kang. 8:10—Sun Young Yoo, Brittany Lincicome, Minea Blomqvist. 8:20—Na Yeon Choi, Candie Kung, Momoko Ueda. 8:30—Liselotte Neumann, Pat Hurst, Irene Cho. 8:40—Meena Lee, Ai Miyazato, Michele Redman. 8:50—Michelle Ellis, Giulia Sergas, Grace Park.

11:40—In-Kyung Kim, Paula Creamer, Suzann Pettersen. 11:50—Stacy Prammanasudh, Cristie Kerr, Shanshan Feng. Noon—Angela Stanford, Eun-Hee Ji, Juli Inkster. 12:10—Jee Young Lee, Alena Sharp, Young Kim. 12:20—Lorie Kane, Leta Lindley, Silvia Cavalleri. 12:30—Taylor Leon, Kris Tamulis, Birdie Kim. 12:40—Johanna Mundy, Lisa Strom, Kyeong Bae. 12:50—Louise Stahle, Aree Song, Danielle Downey.

1:00—Cindy Rarick, Wendy Doolan, Janell Howland. 1:10—Karine Icher, Michelle McGann, Charlotte Mayorkas. 1:20—Sarah Lee, Kate Golden, Na Ri Kim. 1:30—Julieta Granada, Jeehae Lee, Anna Nordqvist.

TENTH TEE

7:10 a.m.—Dorothy Delasin, Stacy Lewis, Vicky Hurst. 7:20—Michelle Wie, Haeji Kang, Jin Young Pak. 7:30—Audra Burks, Jamie Hullett, Jackie Gallagher-Smith. 7:40—Eva Dahllof, Kim Hall, Jimin Jeong.7:50—Mindy Kim, Mikaela Parmlid, Jennifer Rosales.

8:00—Anna Rawson, Paige Mackenzie, Amy Yang. 8:10—Se Ri Pak, Janice Moodie, Nicole Castrale. 8:20—Hee Young Park, Angela Park, Allison Fouch. 8:30—Sandra Gal, Jill McGill, Heather Young. 8:40—Christina Kim, Rachel Hetherington, Wendy Ward. 8:50—Morgan Pressel, Sophie Gustafson, Natalie Gulbis.

11:40—Louise Friberg, H.J. Choi, Yani Tseng. 11:50—Hee-Won Han, Jimin Kang, Laura Diaz. Noon—Teresa Lu, Lindsey Wright, Meaghan Francella. 12:10—Brittany Lang, Kristy McPherson, Jane Park. 12:20—Jiyai Shin, Katie Futcher, Il Mi Chung. 12:30—Becky Lucidi, Carolina Llano, Na On Min. 12:40—Marcy Hart, Angela Jerman, Beth Bader. 12:50—Young-A Yang, Leah Wigger, Eunjung Yi.

1:00—Stephanie Louden, Mika Miyazato, Allison Hanna-Williams. 1:10—Reilley Rankin, Erica Blasberg, Russy Gulyanamitta. 1:20—Kelli Kuehne, Becky Iverson, Maggie Will. 1:30—Anja Monke, Carri Wood, Samantha Richdale.