Victoria is one of just two Canadian cities that play host to two events which fall under the PGA Tour umbrella, and that reality is not lost on new PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, who recently took over from Tim Finchem.
Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour sa国际传媒 stops in Victoria this week for the Bayview Place Cardtronics Open presented by the sa国际传媒 and PGA Tour Champions rolls into town in mid-September for the Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship.
鈥淲e love being able to have more than one event in a marketplace,鈥� said Monahan, the former deputy commissioner and chief operating officer for the PGA Tour, who took over the office from Finchem, who retired in January. 鈥淲e鈥檝e done that in markets like Phoenix, Columbus, Atlanta, Jacksonville and Calgary.
鈥淔or us, being able to present two different tours is something that we think ultimately showcases and gives us a broader platform in terms of time frame and creates more interest and exposure for the game.鈥�
Having two events in the same city benefits many, he said.
鈥淥ftentimes you鈥檒l have tournaments that are working with each other to maximize the commercial impact of the event and the promotional impact of the event. In some cases it鈥檚 led to third events in other markets,鈥� said Monahan. 鈥淲e look at it as a great positive.鈥�
Monahan recently took time to speak to some Canadian golf writers via a conference call and spoke glowingly of his satisfaction with the PGA Tour鈥檚 fan base in sa国际传媒 and the role the Mackenzie Tour plays.
鈥淚t鈥檚 such an exciting time for the PGA Tour and golf, in general, in sa国际传媒 as another summer approaches in 2017. As you know, we鈥檝e already seen two Canadians, Mackenzie Hughes and Adam Hadwin, become PGA Tour winners for the first time this season,鈥� he said of the PGA Tour sa国际传媒 grads. 鈥淎nd along with Graham DeLaet, David Hearn and Nick Taylor, there seems to be another Maple Leaf near the top of the leaderboard every week, and there鈥檚 a good chance you will see a number of them compete for spots on the Presidents Cup team this fall.鈥�
Monahan pointed to graduates of the Canadian circuit now on the PGA Tour.
鈥淢ackenzie Tour alumni continue to have success at the next level with 10 on the PGA Tour this season, including each of the first three Order of Merit winners from 2013-15, and an additional 66 players on the Web.com Tour,鈥� added the commissioner.
鈥淚 would give Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour sa国际传媒 a solid 鈥楢鈥� and I look to the fact that we have 10 alums that have matriculated to the PGA Tour and the 66 players on the Web.com tour. The proof is in the performance.鈥�
