PGA Tour sa国际传媒 will do its best to simulate its umbrella organization, the PGA Tour, says the latter鈥檚 commissioner Tim Finchem.
Finchem stressed PGA Tour sa国际传媒 鈥� formerly the Canadian Tour 鈥� will benefit greatly from the PGA Tour, generating more interest in the forms of drawing potential big-name players, sponsors and fans.
The move was a logical extension for the PGA Tour, added Finchem, who recognizes the strong fan base in sa国际传媒.
鈥淚n a consequence, I think branding this tour as part of the PGA Tour is having a positive effect from the business community from a sponsorship community and the fans as well,鈥� said Finchem.
鈥淕iven the new focus of the tour, we anticipate what has been a traditionally strong competition will be more enhanced as they make their way on the PGA Tour that will create more interest and support in the Canadian markets as well.鈥�
Included in the changes are the top five money earners on PGA Tour sa国际传媒 鈥� which begins Monday with the sa国际传媒 Island Savings Open in Victoria 鈥� will earn playing privileges on the Web.com Tour. The sixth to 10th best money earners will advance straight to the final stage of qualifying for the Web.com, the main development tour of the PGA.
鈥淚n addition to the calibre of play, week to week, we are also going to work very closely with the players on player-engagement programs similar to what we do on the PGA Tour and the Web.com Tour 鈥� that is get the players involved in clinics, community visits, charity visits, interfacing and really being a part of the market place when we鈥檙e in town,鈥� said Jeff Monday, president of PGA Tour sa国际传媒.
鈥淭he staging and infrastructure and look and feel of the tournament is another area we鈥檙e providing a lot of focus and attention to.
鈥淎nd lastly, a broader media exposure, both in market and across the country with our PGA Tour sa国际传媒 highlight show [which began Friday on TSN2] and using the assets and resources of media relations staff to get the word out.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 most important is we鈥檙e committed to trying to grow professional golf in sa国际传媒, having an impact in sa国际传媒 and making sure it represents the game well and that people can come out and have a PGA Tour-syle experience when they鈥檙e out there, be it for the sponsors, volunteers or fans,鈥� Monday said.
Ultimately, what fans will see on the newly dubbed tour, is a simulation of the PGA Tour, both on and off the course.
鈥淚f you look at the Web.com Tour, the two most important things in terms of impacting the PGA Tour are, one, creating more players who can compete at the highest level. That creates more balanced competition which translates into more interest,鈥� stressed Finchem.
鈥淭he biggest single factor in the last five years on the PGA Tour is the tremendous upsurge in the ability of young players to come on and win, and challenge the veterans. It鈥檚 created another level of excitement for the fans and TV audience.
鈥淏ut the second things is, these players learn about charity involvement, learn about the relationship with the communities, learn how to deal with the media, learn about the culture of the tour, so that when they come to the PGA Tour they are contributing in those areas right away, or certainly a lot sooner than they were 10 years ago,鈥� Finchem said.
鈥淭hat creates more value for the sponsors and a lot more focus by the players on some of the things outside the ropes. That鈥檚 a major factor here and another reason why we think this is going to have an initial positive benefit to the tour as well.鈥�
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