PGA Tour Canada Debuts This Week

The Canadian Tour has a long history of being a stepping stone to the PGA Tour for many top golfers. Golfers such as Steve Stricker, Stuart Appleby, and Nick Watney all got their start on the Canadian Tour before having successful PGA Tour careers.

This week, the Canadian Tour will kick off its 43rd season but with a new twist. For the first time since 1986, the Canadian Tour went through a re-branding this past off season when they were acquired by the PGA Tour.

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Photo courtesy of Golf Canada

With the PGA Tour taking over, comes the added opportunity for the competitors on the Canadian Tour. For the first time in the tour’s 43 year history, there will be five 2014 Web.com Tour exemptions handed out to the top five golfers in points at the end of the year. The winner of the Canadian Tour season will receive full exempt status on the Web.com tour and will have the opportunity to qualify and compete at some PGA Tour events.

The tour kicks off on Thursday with the Times Colonist Island Savings Open, a staple on the Canadian Tour since 1981. The PGA Tour Canada will run through the middle of September, wrapping up with the Tour Championship of Canada September 9-15.

This year’s list of PGA Tour Canada participants includes several golfers from our area. Johnny DelPrete of Stuart, Hugo Leon of Tequesta, and Brad Tilley of Jupiter will all tee it up over the next several months with the goal of getting one of those Web.com Tour exemptions.

For more information on the new PGA Tour Canada as well as a complete list of tournaments and players, visit www.pgatourcanada.com.