Montreal Championship not necessarily end of Canadian Tour event in province
Make that three major world tours that will now be paying a visit to Canada.
I had the chance to spend Thursday in Montreal for the official launch of the Champions Tour’s Montreal Championship, and I will work with tournament organizers leading up to the event this July. Among those at the packed press conference were two-time Masters champion and reigning Champions Tour Player of the Year Bernhard Langer, two-time Champions Tour winner Peter Jacobsen, former Montreal Canadiens President and Montreal Championship Chairman Ronald Corey, various government officials along with Tournament Director David Skitt and the Synchro Sports team.
For those keeping score, the PGA, LPGA and Champions Tours – considered the Big Three in North American pro golf – now each have stops north of the 49th.
One would think the arrival of Couples, Watson and Langer would all but spell the end of the Canadian Tour’s popular Montreal Open, which Synchro also promotes, but it might be a little premature to perform last rites. While Skitt says most sponsors have jumped on board the Champions Tour event, at least one primary sponsor is interested in maintaining its relationship with the Canadian Tour.
The Montreal Championship has the financial backing of both the provincial and federal governments and the Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model estimates the event will generate $22-25 million for the local economy.
Having worked the Canadian Tour event for the past several years, my guess is the city would support both events. On a Saturday or Sunday at the Canadian Tour tournament, the corporate skyboxes are packed and there are at least a few thousand spectators roaming the grounds, much like Canadian Tour stops in Edmonton, Winnipeg or Victoria.
Montreal loves its golf. The overwhelming success of the 2007 Presidents Cup, past Canadian Opens Canadian Tour events and various provincial championships proves that. Of course, Montrealers have a fierce loyalty to Quebec-born golfers but like the rest of the country, rally behind all Canadians. Ask Graham DeLaet, who won the Montreal Open in 2008.
Could two major golf tournaments in Montreal be staged this summer?
Don’t bet against it.
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Fairways Web Editor Marty Henwood spent more than six years as the Media Relations Director with the Canadian Tour and has been involved in sports journalism for more than a decade, including stints in newspaper, radio, new media and media relations. He will offer his unique take on the world of golf, with nothing and no one off limits.