Shaughnessy GC -- Site of 2011 RBC Canadian Open

As host of the Open in 2005, the A.V. McCann-designed Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club layout in south Vancouver was a resounding favorite with the PGA TOUR players, particularly Mark Calcavecchia whose 5-under par (275), one-stroke victory earned him $900,000.

"It's a wonderfull golf course, the type of old style tradional layout the PGA TOUR players love to compete on," said Scott Simmons, Executive Director of the Royal Canadian Golf Association during a cross-Canada teleconference. "It's been four years since Shaugnessy last hosted the open but the players have been talking about it ever since. In fact, through a regular dialogue with (Canadian TOUR members) Stephan Ames and Mike Weir we know the players would like nothing more than for us to bring the event to more old style traditional golf courses."

The Canadian Open was previously held at Shaughnessy in 1948, 1966 and 2005. The only other time it was staged in British Columbia was 1954 at Vancouver's Point Grey Golf Club, just down the road from Shaugyhnessy, where Pat Fletcher became the last home-grown Canadian to win the Open title.

(Editor's Note: Fletcher was actually born in Claxton On-the-Sea, England in 1916. He came to Canada with his parents in 1918 in an era before passports were required and is therefore considered a Canadian.)

The $5.1 million 2009 RBC Canadian Open, playing at Glen Abbey for the 25th time, will welcome the inaugural Mike Weir Charity Classic to Monday, July 20th of tournament week. Players already confirming their participation in the celebrity Pro-Am include host Mike Weir, Calcavecchia, Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas, Luke Donald, Stephen Ames, Fred Couples and defending champion Chez Reavie as well as two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash. All net proceeds from the Mike Weir Charity Classic will go to the Mike Weir Foundation which was recently named the national charity partner for the RBC Canadian Open.

The 2010 Canadian Open will be held at St. George's Golf and Country Club in Toronto.

Reports about players not wishing to come to Canada after competing the week before in Great Britain were put to rest a few seasons ago when the RCGA began organizing charter flights for players and their families from the British Open directly to Canada. In 2011 travel time will actually be reduced by one hour since flights from the UK to Vancouver come over the North Pole take only seven hours compared with eight to Toronto.

In fact, says Tournament Director Bill Paul of the RCGA: "When we talked to players about it, the response they expressed foremost was the positive move to go to Shaugnessy."