Suit Over Event Still Lingers

The StoneRidge Country Club, the site of this year’s Kyocera-sponsored Inamori Classic, is overseen by Don Fischer--the very same man who is suing Kyocera for $160,000.

The things you learn--three years after the fact.

Fischer, president and CEO of StoneRidge, said Thursday that during the first round of the Red Robin Kyocera Inamori Classic in 1989 the LPGA threatened to have its players walk off the course unless $300,000 in prize money was delivered to tour officials the next day.

Fischer said he was approached by Tom D’Agostino, the tournament director then, and was told that the sponsors had neglected to send the prize money to the LPGA.

“Fortunately I had that kind of money at my fingertips with my banker, and I personally sent it to the LPGA so they wouldn’t pull the girls,” Fischer said. “The long and short of it is, they told me they would pay me back the following week, the tournament people who were sponsoring the tournament.

“I got $140,000 of it back and I’ve never seen the other $160,000. I’m suing Kyocera for the $160,000.”

Fischer and partner Ed Fedishon sold their ownership interest in StoneRidge a short time after the 1989 tournament, but Fischer remains in charge of the course and at odds with Kyocera.

“The loan was a personal thing, not on the company or corporation level,” Fischer said. “I thought I was doing them a great favor and it (money) would be here overnight. I thought it would be embarrassing to Dr. Inamori and Kyocera if the girls pulled out of here Saturday morning because the money wasn’t there.

“I never thought for five seconds that I wouldn’t get my money back. I’m dealing with a billion-dollar corporation. It’s just unbelievable to me that they would walk away from it.”

Fischer and Fedishon filed suit against in San Diego County Superior Court on June 6, 1991, and the suit is expected to go to trial this June.

“Kyocera feels there is absolutely no merit in the lawsuit,” said William Everitt, Kyocera vice president of communications. “I feel it’s unfortunate that Mr. Fischer and Mr. Fedishon, especially as president of a company that runs a club, feel that they need to notify the press.

“Even though this has been going on for months and months, not one word has been given to the press until tournament week. If this is some way to put the pressure on Kyocera, it’s unfortunate that it might damage the tournament at their club.”

Everitt said that Kyocera was not the sponsor of record in 1988 and 1989 of the StoneRidge-based tournament. He said D’Agostino’s Niblick Corp. was the sponsor of record. He said the financial dispute is between D’Agostino, Fischer and Fedishon.

“It was months before we knew anything about it,” he said.

D’Agostino now is marketing director for the Los Coyotes LPGA Classic in Buena Park. He was unavailable for comment.

“He (D’Agostino) doesn’t have any money,” Fischer said. “They (Kyocera) went out and paid every bill for the tournament. The tournament was short an additional several hundred thousand dollars, and they paid every bill so everyone was satisfied except me.

“They came to me looking for a home for the ladies and we did everything to help them. It’s just unbelievable.”

Kyocera officials and LPGA Commissioner Charles Mechem said the legal conflict between Fischer and Kyocera will not affect the present tournament.

“It seems to me we are clearly on the outside of the whole affair,” said Mechem. “Our relationship with Kyocera has been a very positive relationship and one we’re very anxious to continue. That’s the only concern the LPGA has.”