« Italy Captures Its 1st World Cup Title - Canada 25th | Home | PGA TOUR Qualifying School - Round One »
Canadian Tour Making Progress With Tournament Purses
(December 1/09)
It has taken a little while but Canadian Tour Commissioner Rick Janes has finally succeeded in reaching one of his earliest goals with the announcement that prize purses for some of the Tour's top events will see some of the largest increases in Tour history.
In addition to increasing the prize money Tour members will play for in 2010 at events in Victoria, Edmonton and Winnipeg, the prestigious Players Cup will now offer a purse of $325,000 -- nearly double what it was in 2006.
With files from John Berkovich
Media Director, Canadian Tour
"The highlight of the 2010 schedule is purse increases at major events in Canada. " say the Commissioner. "These are the most significant increases that the Tour has seen in its history."
"There are still a number of gaps in the schedule that are yet to bebe filled but we can confirm that at least five of our major events in Canada will be announcing purses of at least $250,000."
The Players Cup in Winnipeg will have a purse of $300,000 and the Canadian Tour Championship will reach $325,000.
"At the same time, we have some contraction in the schedule with long-time sponsor TELUS abandoning its own event and joining the ATB Financial Classic to create one larger championship in Alberta," says Janes.
The Canadian Tour also anticipates a new event in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
The 2010 Canadian Tour season will begin with a series of tournaments in Mexico starting with the Mexican PGA Championship in Mazatlan the week of April 12.
Yet to be finalized are events in partnership with the European Challenge Tour and Tour de Las Americas in Columbia, Chile and Costa Rica in late February and early March.
"Canada is the cornerstone of the Canadian Tour and this is where we are applying most of our attention. At the same time, Latin America and Mexico provide us with opportunities to extend our season into those months when we cannot play in Canada," says Janes. "These events also provide our players with valuable international experience and expose top players to the Canadian Tour."
The Canadian Tour is a member of the International Federation of PGA Tours with tournaments in Mexico, Latin America and across Canada. Attracting the best young PGA TOUR prospects from Canada and another fifteen countries, more than one hundred Canadian Tour alumni have graduated to the PGA TOUR including Steve Stricker, Mike Weir, Stuart Appleby and Tim Clark.
-- -- -- -- -- --
Meanwhile, the final stage of PGA TOUR Q-School begins Wednesday and runs for 108 grueling holes with the Top-25 and ties earning PGA TOUR cards for 2010.
More than 30 current and former Canadian Tour members are in the field including Chris Baryla who captured the Nationwide Tour's Chattanooga Classic earlier this year.
Also in the field are Travis Bertoni, Shane Bertsch, Adam Bland, Dan Buchner, Jess Daley, Robert Damron, Glen Day, Graham DeLaet, John Douma, Ken Duke, Keven Fortin-Simard, Robert Gates, Fabian Gomez, Rafael Gomez, Bret Guetz, Scott Gutschewski, James Hahn, Todd Hamilton, Ty Harris, David Hearn, Mark Hensby, Tim Herron, Barrett Jarosch, Brandt Jobe, Troy Kelly, Brett Lederer, Hugo Leon, Spencer Levin, David Mathis, Jon Mills, Madalisto Muthiya, Joe Ogilvie, Rob Oppenheim, Rick Price, Dustin Risdon, Brady Schnell, Brendan Steele, Omar Uresti and Jay Williamson.
Australian Adam Bland won twice as a Canadian Tour rookie in 2007 and graduated to the Nationwide Tour in 2009.
He finished 38th on the money list this season with three top tens, including a playoff loss at the Mexico Open to Troy Merritt.
Risdon is another player to watch. The talented Canadian finished one ahead of Bland on the money list, earning three top tens. Twice a winner on the Canadian Tour and armed with a deadly putting stroke, Risdon could make the big jump this week.
Keep an eye on James Hahn. The friendly Californian won twice this season on the Canadian Tour and, like Risdon, is loaded with talent and confidence. He finished 2-3-1 in his last three events and could be ready for the PGA TOUR.
Rafael Gomez was another two-time Canadian Tour winner in 2009, winning the Sport Frances Open in Chile and the Riviera Maya Open. He had Nationwide Tour status in 2008 and looks to do one better for 2010.
After the PGA TOUR cards have been decided, the next number of players nearest to 50 will receive fully exempt membership on the Nationwide Tour.
The remaining players who have made it to the final stage of q-school will have conditionally exempt status on the Nationwide Tour.
« Italy Captures Its 1st World Cup Title - Canada 25th | Home | PGA TOUR Qualifying School - Round One »
