Major support for city’s return to pro tour
156 players to vie for $200,000 purse at Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada event
The Windsor Championship is setting up to be a huge success even before the first shot is fired off a tee. Financial problems for the PGA Tour Canada’s schedule after 2012 pulled Windsor off the schedule, but few could have expected the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada’s decision to return to the city this year would be so embraced by the area.
“It’s just unbelievable the support we’ve received from the community,” Marty Komsa, president of the host organization, said Tuesday.
The event features a $200,000 prize purse and a budget of nearly $600,000, but Komsa said money is not an issue.
“The budget, including in-kind, to run this tournament is very close to $600,000 and all of that money now has been raised,” Komsa said. “We’ve exceeded the budget slightly. We had raised all the necessary funds to make the tournament a success.”
That includes $100,000 for the Hospice of Windsor and Essex County Inc.
“We are on track for raising at least $100,000 for Hospice and believe it could be more than that,” Komsa said. “The only thing that we’re doing at this point in time is accepting donations directly to hospice. That will just go over and above what we raise for the tournament.”
That will have a huge impact in the area, said Carol Derbyshire, executive director of the Hospice of Windsor and Essex County Inc. “This is going to allow us to care for, we figure, about 70 to 100 more patients and we’re well over 2,000 patients this year alone,” Derbyshire said. “So that means a lot to us and the community.” Things are set to get even busier for organizers in the coming days with events set to start Monday. Signs of the Mackenzie TourPGA Tour Canada’s presence were already starting to pop up at Ambassador Golf Course on Tuesday.
The tour’s staff will arrive Wednesday and begin putting the final touches on things. On Monday, 123 golfers have already registered for a qualifier at Roseland Golf Course to determine the final 10 spots for the tournament. On Tuesday, the Pro-Am will be held at Ambassador and the event, which has been limited to gold level sponsors and above, has been sold out for over a month. “That’s a testament to the support the community is giving us,” Komsa said.
Players will get a chance for a practice round Wednesday at Ambassador while Roseland hosts the Windsor Spitfires Junior Pro-Am. The event is open to golfers age eight to 18 and Komsa announced Tuesday that Cypher Systems Group is sponsoring the cost for all junior golfers. Spots are still available.
Later Wednesday, Spitfires majority owner and Florida Panthers head coach Bob Boughner, along with former Spitfires player and coach D.J. Smith, an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs, will highlight the Links & Rinks 19th Hole Kickoff Party at the St. Clair Centre for Performing Arts, another event to honour sponsors.
The 156-player field will tee things off at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday. A cut to the low 60 players and ties will come after Friday ’s second round heading into the final two rounds Saturday and Sunday.