The Newsy Neighbbour Magazine
August Issue 118
Article Provided By: Jock Wilson
The Shaw Charity Classic is not a major on the PGA TOUR
Champions, but it should be.
In four short years, this world class event at the Canyon
Meadows Golf and Country Club in Calgary has won four major awards for excellence.
It continues to be one of the best attended events on the circuit for players
and fans, and year after year it sets a record for charitable giving.
Why do PGA TOUR Champions players love to come to Southern
Alberta?
"It's everything," says 2017 Senior Players
Champion Scott McCarron. "It's the mountains, it's the fishing, it's the
people, it's the restaurants - players just want to be there!"
"The tournament is so well organized and the galleries
give us the feel of the PGA Tour."
52-year-old McCarron is one of the many stars who will tee
it up at the 5th annual Shaw Charity Classic, August 30 - September 3.
Last year, golf fans were entertained by the long hitting
John Daly who struggled in his first appearance in Calgary. Daly did pick up
his first PGA TOUR Champions victory earlier this year in Texas.
The real highlight came on day one when 67-year-old golfing
legend Tom Watson shot his age on his birthday.
Fan favourite and 2014 Shaw champion Fred Couples will be
back for the 2017 event. A back injury kept him out of last year's championship
but this year Freddie is healthy and already a 2-time winner this season.
The most interesting man in golf, Miguel Angel Jimenez, will
also return after a one-year hiatus. Known for his trademark ponytail and Cuban
cigars, Jimenez matched the Canyon Meadows course record in 2015 but had a
disappointing final round for a 12th place finish.
Fellow Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal will make his first ever
appearance at the Shaw Charity Classic. The 51-year-old Olazabal has 30 wins
worldwide on his resume but he just joined the tour in February after being
sidelined for nearly four years while battling a severe form of arthritis that
made it difficult for him to even walk.
"I was in such pain I could not even leave my house for
nearly two years so I feel fortunate to be back on the tour," he told
tournament organizers earlier this year. "My goals have changed, and are
now focused on staying healthy and just getting back in touch with competitive
golf."
The two biggest names to join the Shaw Charity Classic party
this year are Sir Nick Faldo and Vijay Singh.
Faldo is one of the most successful European golfers ever
with 6 major titles including the claret jug and 3 green jackets. He has more
than 40 wins worldwide.
“As I increase my lifelong focus on total fitness, I became
inspired to test it all by playing a half dozen PGA TOUR Champions events. I
look forward to visiting Calgary for the Shaw Charity Classic. It is an area I
have long wanted to visit as I have enjoyed fishing in other parts of Alberta
over the past several years,” said Faldo. “The tournament’s focus on youth and
children's charities closely aligns with that of my own Faldo Series, which
globally provides opportunity through golf. I look forward to supporting the
effort and celebrating five years of giving to, and inspiring, Canadian youth
through this event.”
Singh does play a lot on the PGA TOUR Champions but after
teaming up with Shaw defending champion Carlos Franco to win the Bass Pro Shops
Legends of Golf earlier this year, he was talked into coming to Calgary.
“Carlos talked to me about all of the successes of the Shaw
Charity Classic – the golf course, the hospitality, the crowd support, and the
amount of money that is raised for children’s charity in the area. Those are
all very important factors for me in choosing where I want to play so I wanted
to make sure I was a part of this year’s event,” said Singh.
“I have fond memories of playing in Canada. The fans share
my passion for the game and have always treated me with great respect. I am
excited to have the opportunity to try and win another title in Canada this
September.”
With 53 wins worldwide, and still a regular on the PGA Tour,
Singh will be considered one of the favourites in 2017.
The biggest winner of the Shaw Charity Classic is certainly
the youth based charities in Alberta. 13.8 million dollars raised so far and
with a new three-year commitment for the title sponsorship from Shaw
Communications and the commitment from the stars and legends of the game, this
legacy will continue to grow.
A big "high five" to year five of the Shaw Charity
Classic.
About Jock Wilson:
Jock has been involved in the Calgary sport media scene for over
30 years. He hosts the Calgary Stampeder football broadcasts on Newstalk 770
and is the host of Sportstalk from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
Email: jock@am770chqr.com
Twitter: @sportson770
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