Canadian Tour announces host courses for 2010 major championships

GOLF HOUSE, OAKVILLE, ON (Jan. 27, 2010)- The Canadian Tour today announced the venues for its two major Canadian championships the 2010 Players Cup in Winnipeg and the 2010 Canadian Tour Championship in St. Catharines. Hefty purse increases have already been announced for both events, with The Players Cup up from $200,000 in 2009 to $300,000.00 and the Canadian Tour Championship reaching $325,000.00 from $250,000.00

Pine Ridge Golf Club in Winnipeg will host The Players Cup from July 12 to 18, 2010. This is the third consecutive year that the 6700 yard, par 71 Pine Ridge has hosted The Players Cup. Scheduled the week immediately before the RBC Canadian Open, the winner of the Players Cup will receive a $48,000 share of the prize purse and a Canadian Open exemption. The 2009 winner Graham DeLaet used his win at the Players Cup as one of his stepping stones to the PGA TOUR and Canadian Tour Player of the Year.

The season ending Canadian Tour Championship will be staged at the St. Catharines Golf & Country Club for the second consecutive year August 23 to 29, 2010. Situated on the Niagara peninsula one hour from Toronto, the 6792 yard par-72 Stanley Thompson design will play to a par-70 and 6,850 yards for the tournament. The 2009 winner James Love of Calgary will defend his title for a first place prize of $52,000.00.

“The Players Cup and Canadian Tour Championship are two of the biggest golf events in Canada and they create an opportunity for golf fans to see not only the top PGA TOUR prospects in Canada but many of the top young prospects from more than a dozen countries around the world,” stated Canadian Tour Commissioner Richard Janes.

“The St. Catharines Golf & Country Club is delighted to host the Canadian Tour Championship for this second consecutive year and I believe we can make this an even bigger success than it was in 2009,” said Joseph Gottli, President, St. Catharines Golf & Country Club.”

The Canadian Tour is a member of the International Federation of PGA Tours with tournament operations in Canada, the United States, Mexico and Latin America. Canadian Tour alumni include Canadians Mike Weir, Graham DeLaet, and Steven Ames, Internationals Steve Stricker, Tim Clark and more than 100 players who have gone on to play on the PGA TOUR.