(An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that an LPGA event would take place at Eagle's Landing next year. The story below has been corrected.)

Atlanta is on the verge of being back in the golf business in a big way.

Big steps have been made to secure a Champions Tour event for Duluth's TPC Sugarloaf in 2009, and the initial push has started to bring an LPGA tournament back to Eagle's Landing Country Club in Stockbridge, possibly as early as spring.

The Champions Tour got a green light from the Atlanta Classic Foundation, which said it would conduct the event. The Foundation operated the PGA Tournament in town since its inception in 1967 and has the built-in mechanisms (salesmen, staff, volunteers) required to produce a professional event.

"I wish it had happened five years ago," said Hall of Fame golfer and Marietta resident Larry Nelson, who added that he will definitely play. "It'll be fun to have an event back here. This area needs it."

Champions Tour president Mike Stevens made a presentation at a recent executive committee meeting and answered questions.

"He showed how they've tried to make the Champions Tour a very fan-friendly and sponsor-friendly event," said tournament director Dave Kaplan. "The pros are engaged with their pro-am partners, and they want to be involved with the volunteers and the spectators. They see that it's important."

Kaplan said details should be finalized within the next three or four weeks.

It isn't that easy for the LPGA, which disappeared from the local landscape after the 2006 event when it couldn't secure a title sponsor. Several local groups, including Eagle's Landing owner Club Corporation, have banded together to help with the push. But former tournament chairman J.T. Williams, who remains on the executive committee of Metro South Charities, said the tournament won't petition the LPGA for a spot on the schedule until it secures sponsorship.

"We're looking for a title sponsor, and you know those are hard to come back these days," said Williams.

A marketing group representing the LPGA tournament sent e-mails to former corporate sponsors, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, on Thursday, encouraging them to participate in the tournament's revival, which is optimistically scheduled as "Spring 2009."

While the transition from PGA Tour to Champions Tour is unusual, the switch will bring back such former winners of the Atlanta Classic as Hale Irwin, Andy Bean, Scott Simpson, Larry Nelson, Wayne Levi, Tom Kite and Tom Watson, as well as soon-to-be seniors like Bob Tway, Corey Pavin and Mark Calcavecchia.