Professional golf in Canada

Canadian golf tours

On May 26 through June 1, the Point Grey Golf Club in Vancouver will host the first Canadian professional golf tournament of 2014. The 156 participants are not household names like Phil Mickelson or Bubba Watson, but many are unknown professionals who scraped enough money together to compete on the PGA Tour of Canada.

PGA Tour Canada

The Canadian tour started in 1970 and has had various names, but as of November 1, 2012, the PGA Tour in the United States has taken over the Canadian tour. The financial sponsor of the Open is PC Financial Group, which offers $150,000 in prize money.

Not only have Canadian golfers like Mike Weir and Graham DeLaet played on the Canadian tour, but so have many international golfers. To participate it is necessary to qualify through Canadian Q-School, which is held in California, Florida and Courtney, B.C.

The PGA Tour Canada is viewed as a springboard to the PGA Tour and serves as an apprenticeship for touring pros. There are 12 tournaments held across Canada, from Victoria to Cape Breton Island. At the end of the season, the top five players on the PGA Tour Canada earn their Web.com tour card. Over the years, 170 golfers have been able to graduate from the Canadian tour to the PGA tour.

The Royal Bank of Canada Canadian Open

The RBC is Canada’s national championship as well as a regular event on the PGA tour. The 2014 RBC Canadian Open will be held from July 24 to 27 at the Royal Montreal Golf Club's blue course. Prize money is $5,700,000, with the winner receiving $1,026,000 and 500 FedEx points. Over the years, the tournament has been held across Canada, including at the Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver. The tournament in the past has been referred to as the fifth major and has featured some of the biggest names in golf, from 2001 winner Tiger Woods to Brandt Snedeker, the 2012 FedEx winner.

Golf Canada

Golf Canada, formerly the Royal Canadian Golf Association, is headquartered in Calgary and is the governing body of golf in Canada. This organization promotes amateur men, women and juniors while assisting with amateur and professional national tournaments.

CN Canadian Women’s Tour

Sponsored by Canadian National and Golf Canada, this four event tour is the only women’s tour in Canada open to professional, top amateurs and elite junior golfers.

LPGA Canada

The Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, formerly called the Canadian National, is a professional golf tournament managed by Golf Canada and the LPGA. Canada has had a national championship since 1973 and it has been an official event on the United States LPGA tour. Lydia Ko from New Zealand has won the last two CN Canadian championships, first in Vancouver in 2012 and then in Edmonton in 2013. The 2014 tournament will be held in London, Ontario, with $2.25 million in prize money and is now sponsored by Canadian Pacific.