Players Cup to boast top guns

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/06/2009 (6261 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE bar has been set high but the 2009 Players Cup figures to feature the Canadian Tour’s cream of the crop yet again.

The $200,000 event at Pine Ridge July 16-19 is a case of show them the money and the players will show you their game.

The purse is the second-highest on the entire Canadian Tour. Only the $250,000 Canadian Tour’s Players Championship to be played in late August in St. Catharines, Ont., exceeds the Players Cup in prize money.

In 2008, the tour’s top players put their stamp of approval on that kind of dough. Thirty of the top 31 money-winners entered, and the one among that group that didn’t thought he did and was in Winnipeg to play.

That kind of elite field is expected again.

Not only is the top prize of $32,000 on the line, but the winner, if he’s not already eligible, will be granted a spot in the RBC Canadian Open — a PGA Tour event — the following week at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ont.

This is the 10th straight year the Canadian Tour has stopped at Pine Ridge and it also marks the continuation of the relationship between the Tour and the Free Press, which promotes and markets the province’s top annual golf competition.

“It’s instrumental,” said tournament director Mitch Zalnasky. “The event wouldn’t still exist without Free Press involvement and this partnership has been very beneficial for the community and the game here.”

The defending champion is Calgary’s Wes Heffernan, who’s expected to defend the title. Heffernan, the second straight Canadian to win the Manitoba event, was No. 2 on the 2008 money list.

The Tour has also extended an invitation to former PGA Tour member Glen Hnatiuk for the 2009 tournament. Hnatiuk competed here last summer but missed the cut.

The Manitoba contingent of the Tour is also expected out in force, with likely entries from former champ Rob McMillan, Adam Speirs, Ryan Horn, Matt Johnston and Jordan Krantz.

Exemptions for local players haven’t been finalized but it’s a good bet that 2008 Manitoba PGA player of the year Derek Ingram and host pro Shane Dick will be teeing it up, while defending amateur champ Brad Kirton and runnerup Garth Collings are the best bets for the two amateur exemptions available.

This year, the Tour has moved the qualifying round to Pine Ridge on Monday, July 13. Details regarding qualifying entry, including the July 10 deadline, are available at www.cantour.com; click, on the tournaments link to find the Players Cup. Four tournament spots will be available through the Monday qualifier.

The tournament is still in search of a few volunteers, who can contact the club (222-6477) for details.

For information about the Tuesday pro-am, contact Zalnasky at 697-7357.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca