Tee 2 Green with Barry Sharpe - - October 30/08

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For the first time in memory, or possibly tournament history, the winner of the 2008 Canadian Open championship will not be exempt into the 2009 British Open. The news of this development was posted on the British Open web site last week but, until BC Golf News brought it to their attention today, the Royal Canadian Golf Association had not been officially informed of the change.

This means that former Arizona State star Chez Reavie of Mesa, one of this season's PGA TOUR rookies to win a PGA Tour title, will not be receiving an automatic invite to play at Turnberry, in Ayrshire, Scottland on July 17th.

"The R&A continues to monitor the ever changing golfing world and our Championship Committee aims to reflect this in the exemptions into The Open Championship," says R&A Chief Executive Peter Dawson, on the R&A's web site.

New entry criteria is being introduced for next year's Open at Turnberry and it guarantees places in the Championship for the top 30 players from both the European and PGA Tour.

Previously, the exemptions were limited to the top 20 from the European Tour Order of Merit and the PGA Tour's money list from the previous season. Under the new rules, however, all 30 players who qualify for the Tour Championship in the United States will earn places, as will the top 30 from the European Tour's Order of Merit following the season-ending Volvo Masters in November.

Players exempt from Regional, Local Final and International Final Qualifying will include: the first 30 in the PGA European Tour Final Order of Merit for 2008; the starting field (of 30) of 2008 THE TOUR Championship; first and anyone tying for 1st place on the Order of Merit of the Tour of Australasia for 2008, but the exemption for the Canadian Open Champion will no longer apply.

The RCGA's Bill Paul, Tournament Director, for the RBC Canadian Open Golf Championship, told BC Golf News, "I am in the process of determining what the overall exempt criteria for the 2009 Open Championship will be, as we were made aware that significant changes were in the works."

The effect on the staging and playing of the RBC Canadian Open will not change anything as far as spectators or players are concerned when the 2009 championship tees off July 23-26 at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ontario. However, what will be missing will be the prestige the Canadian Open has ejoyed for years as the second oldest national golf championship in the world.

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None of the players have been named yet, however, former British Columbia Amateur (1979) and Junior (1978) champion Fred Couples , who will serve as captain of the U.S. team, has already recruited some star power for next year's Presidents Cup, which will be played at Harding Park in San Francisco. Couples has confirmed that retired basketball legend Michael Jordan will serve as an assistant captain and that comedian Robin Williams has been asked to provide team-room entertainment.

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His name may be the one of the most recognized among amateur and professional golf teachers, however, The Butch Harmon Vegas Tour Summer Series has ceased operation due to a lack of participation. The developmental tour which began competing four years ago, expects some of its members will head to the Valley to join the Gateway Tour. Meanwhile the Canadian Tour, now staging tournaments in California, Mexico and Brazil, before beginning it's annual cross-country treck in Canada each June, continues to turn down invitations to expand into other American states.

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When LPGA rookie Yani Tseng, whose professional career got its start with her first pro victory on the Canadian Women's Tour at Vancouver Club in 2007, ended up finishing second last week in the Grand China Air LPGA event, she moved into second place in the Rolex Women's World Rankings, one spot ahead of Annika Sorenstam. Tseng has 10 Top-10 finishes this year.

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