Vancouver, Victoria stops kick off expanded Mackenzie Tour

The Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada 2016 schedule is now complete with aspiring golfers set to criss-cross the country in a dozen events, highlighted by two new tournaments for the season.

They will tee it up in the opening Freedom 55 Financial Open at Point Grey Golf and Country Club in Vancouver from May 23 to 29, before ferrying over to Victoria for the Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist, May 30-June 5, at Uplands Golf Club.

The new Golf B.C. Championship follows June 6-12 at Gallagher’s Canyon in Kelowna, before the tour moves east into Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, then turns back to Alberta for stops in Edmonton, Fort McMurray and Calgary.

It’s then off to Ottawa and Nova Scotia before culminating with the Freedom 55 Financial Championship in London, Ont., Sept. 1218. All purses will be worth a total of $175,000 except for the finale, which jumps to $200,000.

“Thanks to the hard work of our host organizations and tremendous support from our sponsors, especially our umbrella sponsor Mackenzie Investments, we’re in a great position to play 12 events across Canada,” tour president Jeff Monday said in a statement.

“We look forward to seeing another season of outstanding play from our players while making a positive impact in each of the communities where we play.”

As in past years, the Order of Merit winner will receive full exemption on the Web.com Tour for the following season, with the next top four finishers earning conditional status.

The top two to 10 players also earn an exemption into the final stage of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament to try to better their positioning, while the 11th through 20th finishers earn an exemption into the second stage of Q-school.

Also announced was a new logo for the Mackenzie Tour, symbolizing the innovative approach taken in concert with Mackenzie Investments.