It's hard to tell who was more elated — Kapalua's Gary Planos or the people at the Seoul Broadcasting System — in announcing that the PGA Tour's season-opening championship will continue to be played at the Maui resort through 2019.

Planos was relieved that the South Korea television giant will take over as title sponsor from Mercedes-Benz next January.

For SBS, dissed by the LPGA after sponsoring a women's tour event at Turtle Bay for five years, it's a huge upgrade in the golf spotlight by signing up to sponsor a PGA Tour event. And not only any old PGA Tour event, but the elite, champions-only showcase at the Plantation Course.

There's no question who isn't feeling too elated about the deal with Kapalua: the LPGA, which again finds itself without a tour event on O'ahu. And maybe in Hawai'i in a couple of years, if it doesn't watch out.

For now, though, what a boost for the "Aloha Season," which also starts the PGA season. With that event locked in place, it can only brighten the prospects of the Sony Open in Hawai'i continuing after 2010 when the current PGA television contract ends. The two are lock-step partners in the PGA Tour's hopes of starting its season with back-to-back events in Hawai'i as it has done since 1999.

"It's definitely a positive because somewhere between 70 to 80 percent of our players go over to Sony," Planos said. "Having the SBS Championship in place should definitely help the Sony Open if they decide to go forward."

But first things first for Planos, Kapalua's vice president of golf operations, and that is keeping what's in the best interests of his resort.

"We're excited to keep it going. We're excited about an extended life to the season-opening championship that we've been hosting at Kapalua. It's great to have a future to look forward to," he said. "I think it's fortunate in today's times to have a company like SBS step in and that type of commitment with a 10-year relationship."

The agreement was announced during a press conference at the Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., home of the PGA Tour. "We got to meet with the tour and the SBS people there," Planos said.

Talks with SBS, which wanted to have a PGA Tour event in Hawai'i, began a little over a month ago, according to Planos. SBS, which has been a broadcast partner with the men's tour for 15 years, also extended its agreement for seven more years.

Brokering both deals with SBS was Ty Votaw, PGA Tour's executive vice president of communications and international affairs. Votaw had been commissioner of the LPGA for seven years until 2005 and, believe me, the LPGA hasn't been the same since, especially because of a failure to communicate. Just ask the people at SBS, who are now enjoying the last laugh.

The relationship between Kapalua and Mercedes-Benz ended more amicably.

"We had a great 11-year-plus relationship with Mercedes," Planos said. "Sometimes, companies have to change their directions in what they're doing in their market. Mercedes had other ways to market themselves in regards to golf. They got the official vehicle of the Masters, the PGA of America and the Northern Trust Open. But now we look forward to our future with SBS."

Kapalua also is the venue of the only LPGA Tour event in Hawai'i, the LPGA Kapalua Classic, at the Bay Course.

"We're still looking, we still have to find a sponsor," said Planos.

It's imperative that the LPGA help Kapalua find one before the four-year contract ends in 2011 or there could be no LPGA event here after that.