Only two years after a thrilling U.S. Women's Open, could the

LPGA be poised to come to Denver?

LPGA officials would not confirm a recent Golf World magazine report that a Denver group is seeking a women's tour stop for the weekend after July 4 - that date on the schedule currently is open - but they didn't conceal the fact Denver is an attractive marketplace.

"Denver is a city with a history of welcoming women's golf with open arms as demonstrated most recently by the 2005 U.S. Women's Open," spokeswoman Connie Wilson said. "The LPGA has said in the past that we would consider bringing the best golf in the world to Denver under the right circumstances."

Do the right circumstances exist now that the PGA Tour's former stop at The International at Castle Pines has vacated its early July date?

"The (LPGA) has told us over the last couple of years if you want to do an event, the first one to get to the window with a game plan and financial backing can do it," said Jon Schmieder, executive director of the Metro Denver Sports Commission. "From what I know it seems a lot of folks are trying and they're all trying to get to the window with a game plan and the money, and that's not an easy thing to do."

One of the courses that would be interested is the Inverness Golf Club in Englewood, but Curtis Bova, general manager of the hotel and resort, said the club is not bidding at this time.

"If it helps, my course is available," he said, "and I can tell you a ton of reasons why I think it would be a great course."

Bova said he had heard Green Gables also might have interest.

He got a sense something might be up last month.

"We've always been a very close partner of The International, so we got advance notice of that announcement and at the time they said, 'Don't cancel all your plans for golf in Denver,' " Bova said. "It was a coy way of alluding to something going on."

The LPGA hasn't had a tour stop in Denver since 1987, but it has shown it could support one.

Seven Denver-area courses were stops during a 16-year span (1972-87), starting with the National Jewish Hospital Open at Green Gables (1972-78) and continuing with the Columbia Savings Classic (1979-87).

In 1986, the LPGA National Pro-Am was held at Lone Tree and Glenmoor Country Clubs.

In 1995, the U.S. Women's Open was played at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.

Then there was the 2005 Open at Cherry Hills Country Club, which produced record-breaking crowds and a wild finish in which Birdie Kim holed out from a bunker on the 72nd hole to win.

Until The International pulled the plug on its event, two of its presenting sponsors, ADT and Ciber, reportedly were standing behind the PGA Tour stop with financial backing in the $1.5 million or so range. So that money likely is still there for this year, and ADT is a major sponsor of the LPGA.

debruinl@RockyMountainNews.com