Shaw Charity Classic wins PGA President’s Award
Shaw Charity Classic tournament director Sean Van Kesteren should know by now to take an extra-large suitcase to the year-end meetings and awards banquet in Florida, and to leave space to bring home a trophy.
For the third time in a span of only four years, Van Kesteren and his staff accepted the President’s Award, a nod as the top tournament on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.
The Shaw Charity Classic was also feted in 2014 and 2015 before completing the hat-trick at Thursday’s hardware-handout.
“It is remarkable to see a tournament win the President’s Award for the third time,” said Greg McLaughlin, commissioner for the senior golf tour. “This event has achieved great success very quickly and continues to raise the bar every year. Shaw Communications has been a tremendous partner in allowing this event to support the local Calgary community, and the charitable impact throughout Alberta has been extraordinary.”
The fifth-anniversary edition of the Shaw Charity Classic raised $8.3 million for youth-based charities, shattering their own record for the largest charitable contribution in PGA Tour Champions history. According to tournament officials, those dollars will impact the lives of upwards of 480,000 youngsters across the province.
California’s Scott McCarron was white-hatted as tournament champion in 2017, sizzling to a three-day score of 16-under 194 at Canyon Meadows.
McCarron and the rest of the senior birdie-machines will return to Calgary from Aug. 31- Sept. 2.
“We began our five-year celebrations by encouraging the public to find a small way to make their mark on this powerful event in Alberta. Receiving the President’s Award for a third time is recognition that needs to be celebrated by communities across Alberta who have generously supported our mission,” Van Kesteren said in a statement.
“We have not wavered in our goals of bringing world-class golf to Calgary, while raising more than $22.1 million in an effort to provide hundreds of thousands of Alberta kids hope and the opportunity to live a better life.”