Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Announces Addition Of Ontario Championship Hosted By National Pines Golf Club To 2017 Schedule
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2017-06-21
National Pines Golf Club Will Host The Season's Penultimate Event. (PGA TOUR/Chuck Russell)
The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced that the Ontario Championship hosted by National Pines Golf Club, an official event to be conducted at National Pines Golf Club in Barrie, Ontario, has been added to the 2017 schedule.
The 144-player event will take place September 4-10, leading into the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship. The Canadian Junior Golf Association (CJGA) will serve as the event’s Host Organization, with Brad Parkins as Tournament Director.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to announce the Ontario Championship hosted by National Pines Golf Club as the newest event on the Mackenzie Tour. Thanks to the support of our partners, ClubLink and the CJGA, we’re confident this will be an tremendous week of golf at an outstanding venue this summer,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday.
National Pines, a 7,013-yard Tom McBroom design located 45 minutes north of Toronto, was opened in 1992 and hosted the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship in 2007 and 2008.
“We are very pleased that the Mackenzie Tour selected National Pines to host the Ontario Championship in 2017,” said Brent Miller, Vice President of Corporate Operations and Member Services for ClubLink. “It’s wonderful to have this thoroughbred layout challenge the future stars of the PGA TOUR once again. So many of our Members already know what a gem it is and make it a frequent destination on their ‘must play’ ClubLink rotation. We look forward to showcasing National Pines and reminding Southern Ontario golfers about what a great experience it is to access it as a ClubLink member.”
Among the players who competed at National Pines in 2007 and 2008 is current PGA TOUR player and Olympian Graham DeLaet, who said he fondly remembers his experience competing at the course.
“I have great memories of competing at National Pines in 2008, and I know it will be an awesome host for a tournament like this. The guys that will be playing there are trying to make their way to the PGA TOUR, and this is going to be a great venue for those players to compete for a chance to make the next step in that direction,” said DeLaet.
The CJGA, which previously operated The Great Waterway Classic on the Mackenzie Tour from 2013-15, is a national junior golf association dedicated to providing high level competition and instruction to Canada’s junior golfers and operates tournaments throughout Canada.
“We are delighted to have the opportunity to conduct an official Mackenzie Tour event once again and to work with one of our partners in ClubLink makes it that much more special,” said Brad Parkins, COO of the CJGA. “We look forward to working with the community to put on an exceptional event on an exceptional golf course in National Pines.”
Following the event, the top 60 players on the Order of Merit will earn a spot in the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship at Highland Country Club in London, Ont., along with securing exempt status for the 2018 Mackenzie Tour season.