Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/130253
5/10/13 3:49 PM Page 1 interest in the tournament. One change that we do have for this year is that there will be an increase in the number of spots for Open Qualifying, which is held on the Monday of tournament week. Whereas previously there were four, we've been able to make that to where it will be ten. So from that perspective, if you're on the fence as to whether you should try or not, as a local player - and you're pretty good, playing for one of 10 spots gives you a better chance than if there's only four available. We feel with 10 spots available that there will be more local participants trying to come out and qualify for the event. iG: You have an empty week after the Times Colonist/Island Savings Open. Is the intent to have a Vancouver date in that spot and if so how is that progressing? JM: Absolutely. I was there just a couple of weeks ago. There are a number of different people we are looking to partner with... the First Tee organization is there, which is a very strong program we have here in the U.S. There's an excellent First Tee chapter in Vancouver that partners with the local YMCA organization. We've been working really closely with the people at the "Y" and First Tee of Greater Vancouver Chair, Doug Stone. Their leadership has formed a group to try and work with us to fill that gap, which would make for an ideal schedule to kick the season off in Victoria then have a stop in Vancouver before we continue to our move mid-west. iG: Has the power of the PGA TOUR brand helped in the process of trying to procure events for stops such as Vancouver in the future? JM: Well, I think what we've found is that certainly the PGA TOUR brand and the credibility that it has gives it instant recognition in the conversations that we have. So it enables us to get engaged immediately with potential sponsors and then it's incumbent upon us to demonstrate the value of the affiliation that the PGA TOUR brings to the table with regards to our assets and resources and make sure that we understand what a company's looking for and how we can use those assets and resources that we have on a national level in order to complement the assets and resources that the tournament organization has at the local level. That helps to assure that we're putting together a good product that delivers for the lead title sponsor. What we have found to be the case, and very much so, is on general sponsorship sales, as far as companies that want to entertain and buy hospitality or pro-am spots for their guests and utilize the event, the official sponsor levels, the reactions are very, very positive. iG: Keeping in tune with the tournament venue questions - Will there be a firm date for an Edmonton tourney vs flipping between there and Calgary, especially since Edmonton has had such good attendance numbers? JM: So what we've worked out is that the ATB donations made by all the tournaments. So we certainly are going to try to mirror that up in Canada. So before we start trying to focus on the prize money side of it, I think we want to make sure that we've had some organic growth within the markets and that they are capable of sustaining themselves, and if we do that correctly, the prize money will grow. iG: The PGA TOUR Canada mission statement talks about delivering a PGA TOUR experience for members, fans, volunteers and partners in order to develop the future stars of professional golf and enrich the communities we visit, much like you just talked about. Will that approach be patterned on the Web.com Tour model? JM: Yes. JEFF MONDAY ANNOUNCING THE LOCATION OF THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP IN LONDON, ONTARIO iG: Okay‚ because we understand that the Web.com Tour is patterned on the PGA TOUR with (Financial Classic) is going to have a permanent home ropes, players, lounges, etc. Will that be true for the in Calgary. We are working with the Linx Marketing PGA Tour Canada? And are you concerned that it group, with Tim Garbutt and David Lee-Fay who have may take away from the intimacy and close contact been the ones that rotated the event. We've had some that's characterized the Canadian Tour in the past? discussions with various people up in Edmonton and are optimistic that we'll be able to put an event in JM: No, I think what we want to bring to the events both Calgary and Edmonton starting next year. is to make the experience for the spectators and the Edmonton is a really good, incredibly enthusiastic golf sponsors as interactive and engaging with the players market‚ with some really good golf courses. as possible. So I think that, if anything, we want there to be a little more up close and personal events with We would really like to be able to continue to have the players. So we'll continue to have the players out a presence this year in Edmonton. So, we are taking there certainly in the competition, but what our hope a look at perhaps having an open qualifying for the is to‚ I shouldn't say our hope. What we will do is we'll Fort McMurray event. In addition to having something be doing more community-oriented activities such for Fort McMurray, we'd like to do something in as having clinics at the golf course for kids, for adults, Edmonton to continue to have some type of presence and those types of other activities that will engage for PGA TOUR Canada in the Edmonton market and the players. But also get the players out in the use that as a platform to try and build up interest community in some capacity with visiting local for the return in 2014. charities, or going to local high schools. Most of the iG: Do you see the $150,000 purses growing over the time, we're not in when school's in session, right? But next three years? going to local YMCA's as much as trying to get people JM: Well, I think our priority is, with all of our to come out to the tournaments, we're going to work constituents, to provide opportunity. So for the players, real hard to get the players out in the community the key opportunity is to be able to play on PGA TOUR during the weeks that we're there. Canada, gain the experience, learn what it's like to iG: A lot of golf industry people are looking more operate at a PGA TOUR level experience, and earn toward reaching out to the community, feeling that your way onto the Web.com Tour, which is now the it's become more and more difficult to attract people path to the PGA TOUR. And so our focus there is out to the golf course. How would you like to engage providing them the quality of experience, and it's not potential customers for PGA TOUR Canada? as much about what prize money is going to be, so JM: We want both. Certainly we want people coming I think from that perspective, we want to make sure, out to watch the players and see how good they before we start working on growing prize money, we are and we feel like there's been some really good want the impact of the tournaments we are having players but the calibre of play is just going to get in the community to be solid. So the charitable impact better and better. As the talent migrates with the of the event, economic impact of the event, and the opportunity to get your Web.com Tour card, we tournament growing and being stable and sustaining know we are going to attract the very best players itself is a primary goal. And then, once we feel that that are looking to get to that next level, and so the things are in pretty good shape in that regard‚ because calibre of play is going to be tremendous so having as you know, part of the mission of the PGA TOUR, people come out for that is going to provide a nice besides providing opportunity to players is the giving back aspect of what we do with the charitable Contined On Next Page IMAGE CREDIT/COURTESY: CLAUS ANDERSON iG1304--rev 71