History
Formerly the Bausch & Lomb Championships, the tournament lost its title sponsor when Bausch & Lomb did not renew its contract following the 2008 event at Amelia Island Plantation on Amelia Island, Florida. Tournament organizers Octagon hired AXIA, a public relations firm, to find a new title sponsor. In August 2008, AXIA and Octagon announced Fortune 1000 global staffing firm MPS Group (NYSE:MPS) of Jacksonville, Florida as the official tournament title sponsor. Octagon moved the annual event to Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach as part of the tournament changes to attract more attendees and enjoy upgraded facilities.
On May 21, 2010 tournament officials announced that the event will not be held in 2011. The WTA is reducing the number of Spring events and the MPS Group Championships offered the smallest prize money. The WTA offered replacement dates, but no facility was available in February, and temperatures in July can be unbearable.
Read more about this topic: MPS Group Championships
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