Championship expected to generate more than $1.2M
Staff at Cherry Hill Club are thrilled to be hosting a PGA-affiliated event next month because they can showcase the course’s pristine condition — but also because their friends at the MacKenzie Tour (PGA Tour Canada) were facing a bit of an emergency about six weeks ago.
The private club in Ridgeway will be the venue for the pro circuit’s Niagara Championship following the cancellation of an event scheduled to be played in Fort McMurray, Alta., caused by the wildfires that ripped through the community in northern Canada earlier this year.
“We had a group of our peers who lost an event through a tragic situation,” said Bill Kerr, tournament chairman and club member.
With the historic course having the infrastructure in place to keep the grounds hydrated during this summer’s drought, Kerr said conditions will not be an issue for the 156-player field.
“It’s in fabulous shape — the greens are spectacular,” said Kerr.
Anyone who has played the 94-year-old track at least once is familiar with its lightning-fast putting surfaces, which Kerr rated 12 out of 10 when it comes to their speed.
“The greens will be the difference maker, I believe, for the players,” he said at a press conference held at Cherry Hill Club on Monday.
Kerr, who has held a membership at the prestigious club for five years, says although it is considered one of he best in the country — it’s still a bit of a “hidden gem” in Niagara that people usually fall in love with during their first round.
“When you play it as a golfer — there’s something special to it,” he said.
With about one and a half months to prepare for an event that usually takes a full year — Kerr said club members, the local community and local officials have really stepped up to the tee and hit a beauty down the middle of the fairway so far.
“We’ve been able to get a lot of work done in a very tight time frame,” he said.
The Niagara Sport Commission, a nonprofit regional development agency dedicated to using sport as a catalyst for economic and community development in the Niagara region, is also hosting the event.
Bram Cotton, tournament director and chief executive officer of the Niagara Sport Commission, estimates the five-day event (Sept. 6 to 11) will generate more than $1.2 million for the local economy.
“Hosting events like this, within the sport and tourism realm, are very important for a region like Niagara,” said Cotton.
The Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada is a series of tournaments played across Canada each summer,
where future golf stars begin the path to the PGA TOUR. The leading five money winners at the end of each season earn status on the Web.com Tour for the following season, which is the last step before earning an official PGA TOUR card.
Scott Pritchard, director of business and tournament affairs for the MacKenzie Tour said the PGA Tour Canada is thrilled to be back in Niagara – as professional golf has not been in the region since 2010 in St. Catharines – under the former Canadian PGA banner.
This is the first foray into the area for the MacKenzie Tour — PGA Canada brand.
The 1972 Canadian Open was held at Cherry Hill Club and brought in elite players from that era like Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller and Tom Watson.
Dudley Hart, a native of Western New York and a two-time PGA winner with $12 million in career earnings, will also be competing in the field as an honorary exemption.
Admission for each day of play at the upcoming event is free and open to the public.
The greens will be the difference maker, I believe, for the players.” Bill Kerr, tournament chairman and club member