Board members for the state's lead tourism agency yesterday expressed concern about a trend of professional golf tournaments leaving Hawai'i.

Hawai'i Tourism Authority interim president and CEO Lloyd Unebasami said the state has seen several golf tournaments leave the Islands, mostly because of a lack of sponsorship.

"We know the urgency," Unebasami said, and officials are not happy that the events have been leaving over the past few years.

He said the state has not had to provide as much incentive money and site fees as some places because Hawai'i has been perceived as a desirable location to hold golf tournaments.

"It just costs money to have these things," Unebasami said. "We're a small fish."

State Tourism liaison Marsha Wienert said she's worried that the events keep leaving.

She cited the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which had been played at Po'ipu, Kaua'i, from 1994 to 2006 before leaving for Bermuda.

"Kaua'i does not have a major sporting event because of that," Wienert said. "My concern is we're losing, losing, losing."

Another PGA tournament to leave was the Turtle Bay Champions Tour event, last played in 2008.

Hawai'i Visitors & Convention Bureau president John Monahan confirmed that the cancellations center on a problem finding sponsors in a troubled economy.

"Hawai'i is not alone. Everybody is losing these things," Monahan said. He said only the Grand Slam was lured away by a destination paying more money. It has been played for two years at the Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda.

Board member Sharon Weiner said the loss of tournaments is a concern, but not one caused by a lack of support from the Tourism Authority or problems with "desirability of destination."

The LPGA is losing two events: the SBS Open at Turtle Bay — which would need a new title sponsor to remain — and the Fields Open at Ko Olina, which ended in 2008. Another local LPGA event looking for a title sponsor is the Kapalua LPGA Classic, played in October.

Tourism Authority marketing chief David Uchiyama said the PGA and the LPGA are not happy with the shrinking tournament schedule. "They're panicked, too."

"I know we have events that are in jeopardy right now," Weiner said.

The Mercedes-Benz Championship at the Kapalua Resort on Maui and the Sony Open at Waialae each have one more year (2010) under contract with the PGA.

Uchiyama said the LPGA has been great to work with and has been "more enthusiastic" about ways to work to keep the tournaments here.