MEXICO CITY- Oct. 11, 2004 - The LPGA Tour will return to Mexico in the spring of 2005 for the inaugural MasterCard Classic, tour officials have announced. The event is set for March 4-6 at the Bosque Real Country Club in Mexico City.

The 54-hole, stroke-play event will feature a $1.2 million purse for its 132-player field, which will include four Mexican-born players and four sponsor exemptions.

"As women's professional golf continues to expand on the world stage, the LPGA is pleased to add the $1.2 million MasterCard Classic in Mexico to our 2005 schedule," said LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw. "This will mark the first time in 30 years that an officially sanctioned LPGA event has been held in Mexico."

Bosque Real has recently hosted a Champions Tour event. The most recent LPGA event played south of the border was the Bing Crosby International Classic, which was played in 1974 and 1975 at the San Isidro Country Club in Guadalajara.