It’s shaping up to be a big week for the PGA TOUR Canada. The tour is on the brink of starting their second season under the PGA TOUR umbrella with their first Qualifying School starting on April 7th in California.
As they prepare for that the TOUR is making news with a number of other announcements.
On Monday that included the unveiling of a title sponsor for their new Thunder Bay, Ontario-based tournament.
The event, which will be held at the Whitewater Golf Club from July 14-20 now has the backing of the high profile Staal family who have tied their Staal Family Foundation to the PGA TOUR Canada event as the title sponsor. The tournament will now be known as the Staal Foundation Open Presented by TbayTel.
The Staal, on the backs of brothers Eric, Marc, Jordan, and Jared, have become Canada’s first family of hockey and with their high profile buoyed by their NHL play and presence, will undoubtedly bring a wider audience to PGA TOUR Canada event and the Staal Family Foundation.
“When we heard PGA TOUR Canada was coming to Thunder Bay, we jumped at the chance to attach our name to the event,” said Eric Staal during Monday’s announcement. “It’s going to be really exciting week of sport and entertainment and we think the Staal Family Foundation is a great fit. We love our hometown, and just like PGA TOUR Canada, we’re passionate about family, charity and our community.”
The Northern Ontario tournament will be the sixth of twelve PGA TOUR Canada events scheduled for 2014. The TOUR’s President, Jeff Monday, is delighted to have NHL playing brothers and their Foundation involved with the TOUR.
“Anytime you can associate a PGA TOUR Canada tournament with a family like the Staal’s who exemplify the utmost in professionalism and sportsmanship we believe that is a recipe for success,” said Jeff Monday. “The Staal Foundation Open presented by Tbaytel is certainly setting the bar very high and I know the players are very excited about the opportunity to play in the great city of Thunder Bay and rub shoulders with some of the best hockey players in the world all while making a positive impact for the community and local charities.”
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On Wednesday another PGA TOUR Canada tournament, The Great Waterway Classic, will also share news of their own. The 2014 event will be held at the Loyalist Country Club in Bath, Ontario (just west of Kingston) and it is there they will announce their official tournament charity on March 26th. Brad Parkins, the Tournament Director, will reveal the name of the benefiting group at 2 p.m.
Two weeks from now the newly created PGA TOUR Canada’s Forces and Families Open will begun to ramp up activities in Ottawa. The tournament (which will be played at Hylands Golf Club in August) will be holding an invite-only reception information session for potential Pro-Am attendees and Tournament Sponsors. Flagstick staff will be attending and we’ll pass on any relevant news.
