Tee 2 Green with Barry Sharpe - - June 16/09

When the Canadian Tour was re-established in the early 1980s it became an instant favorite with players from around the world---if not immediately with the local media or Canadian golf fans—because of its similarity to the biggest tour of them all, the PGA TOUR. It was dubbed the 'no-name tour' because few knew who the palyers were, regartdless of how well they played

Granted the purses are not large and sponsors have always been hard to come by, the Canadian pro Tour has developed a reputation for being the finest training ground for players wishing to develop their skills and gain experience preparing for the 'big show'.

Fortunately for many of the young guns joining the Canadian Tour there are a handful of generous veterans willing to share their knowledge and their experiences for how to play and deal with a life on the tour.

On this past weekend, one of the Canadian Tour's most respected veterans doing some sharing was Mike Grob of Billings, Montana, who celebrated his 19th season of playing on the Canadian Tour by winning the $150,000 City of Surrey Invitational at Hazelmere Golf Club. It was Mike's sixth Tour title---a Canadian Tour record---and increased his career money winning total to over $414,000, also a Tour record. And to help make it special, Grob's daughter. Dana, caddied for him. Dana was born a year after Grob's first year of playing on the Canadian Tour.
 

Listen now as Mike Grob shares his feelings after winning the City of Surrey Invitational and his reasons for returning year after year to play on the Canadian Tour.

Audio Scrum with MIKE GROB

The Canadian Tour has been visiting the Hazelmere Golf Club for about five years now and up until the 11th hour last year it appeared that the Tour was about to suffer, through lack of sponsorship, the same Ignominious fate as befell the mighty PGA TOUR.

Held at nearby Northview Golf & Country Club, the PGA TOUR came to BC in 1996 as the Greater Vancouver Open and in 1999 was re-named the Air Canada Championship, forever to be remembered in Canadian golf history as Mike Weir's coming out party. Only 29 at the time and only two years removed from being a regular on the Canadian Tour, Weir delighted Canadian golfers from coast to shinning coast with his historic eagle-two at the 14th hole, which led to his maiden PGA TOUR triumph, the first native-born son to win a PGA TOUR championship on Canadian soil. Five years later, however, the Air Canada sponsorship flew away and the tournament folded.
 

Despite the Canadian Tour's lack of success finding a substantial sponsor for their event in Surrey in 2007 and 08, Mike Stuart, president  of the West Coast Golf Group, owners of the Hazelmere Club, engaged the City of Surrey in a dialogue to save the championship from sliding into obscurity. At the last minute an agreement was finalized, the purse was increased to $150,000 and now the June tradition of the Canadian Tour visiting the Lower Mainland after its Victoria tournament on Vancouver Island continues and the City of Surrey Invitational has a future to look forward to.

Audio Interview with MIKE STUART
MikeStewartWCGG.mp3

Mike Stuart spoke of the value of the many volunteers who give so graciously to make it possible for Hazelmere to present a tournament that so closely resembles what the players might experience on the PGA TOUR, so we spoke with one such volunteer, Gail Crawford, a sales representative with a medical supply company, who is a member at Hazelmere Golf Club and the tournament chair for 2009.

Audio Interview with GAIL CRAWFORD

GailCrawfordTournamentChair2009.mp3

 

One of the tournament's biggest boosters, as she is for all things that benefit the reputation and enjoyment of being in the City of Surrey, is Her Worship, Mayor Diane Watts, (right, above) who agrees the City of Surrey Invitational golf championship is essential to the community and is accomplishing what the tournament directors intended when agreements were established last year.

Audio Interview with MAYOR DIAN WATTS

SurreyMayorDianeWatts.mp3

 

The 18th green at Hazelmere, site of the 2009 Canadian Tour City of Surrey Invitational  Championship.