The Champions tour is back in Calgary
Posted Aug 24, 2014 7:57 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Monday marks the start of the 2nd Annual Shaw Charity Classic at the Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club.
The Inaugural event last summer raised almost $2.3 million for Children’s charities here in Calgary and across Southern Alberta.
Among those taking part defending champion Rocco Mediate, Calgarian Stephen Ames and a trio of guys who’ve combined for six major PGA titles; Tom Lehman, Mark O’Meara and Hale Irwin.
Tournament Director Sean Van Kesteren tells 660New, as successful as organizers were getting the former Seniors Tour to come to cowtown, it would be a little more challenging to get a PGA Tour event.
“The golf course can be a bit shorter and you don’t need as much room to set up, so the Champions Tour is an ideal fit. It’s not easy to bring a big golf event like this to any city, it takes a lot of coordination and some very strong ownership and sponsorship,” says Kesteren.
“We’ve put some more bleacher seating out here, we’ve added a new VIP area called the 19th hole for general spectators that can enjoy upgraded food and beverage and some wine and we’re doing more things around spectator activation, more of our sponsors are getting with prizes and giveaways this time around,” notes Kesteren.
The practice rounds happen Monday and Tuesday followed by the Pro-Am Wednesday and Thursday; the event itself, which is three rounds, kicks off on Friday.
