The success of the 2016 PGA Tour Champions Pacific Links Championship at the Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort and Spa in September has led organizers to commit to another year in Langford.
Won with a 15-foot putt on the third playoff by PGA Tour veteran Colin Montgomerie over Scott McCarron, the $2.5-million purse tournament was the best-attended golf event on Vancouver Island with 27,000 spectators and was broadcast in its entirety worldwide on the Golf Channel.
The 2017 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship event is scheduled for the week of Sept. 11 to 17.
"Monty," as he's fondly referred to by his fans, said he was thrilled to record both his first 54-hole victory on the Champions Tour and his 50th professional tournament win at Bear Mountain.
“The setting is superb, a fantastic course and the people of Victoria made us all so welcome. I am very much looking forward to returning to defend my title in 2017,” Montgomerie, who finished second overall on the Tour behind Bernhard Langer, said in a release.
Bear Mountain was a replacement on the PGA Tour Champions schedule for the 2015 Pacific Links China Championship, which was cancelled out of respect for families and those who died in a industrial explosion near the original venue in Tianjin.
Given how well the tournament came off despite rather late notice, Dan Matthews, president and CEO of Bear Mountain owner Ecoasis, said securing the 2017 tournament early was an important objective for the company and the golf team.
“The accolades received from the players and spectators this past September are truly a credit to be shared with the entire Bear Mountain community," he said. "We are excited to have the opportunity once again to showcase Victoria and our region to both a local and global audience, and we will do everything we can to make next year's event is one of the highlights of the tour for both players and fans.”
The local community really got on board with the tournament this year, with more than 600 people signing up as volunteers and thousands from around the Capital Region and up Island attending golf and related charity events through the week.
The TV and other media coverage of the tournament and the area was estimated at being worth millions in publicity for the West Shore and Greater Victoria.
Pacific Links International president Rudy Anderson, whose company owns golf courses around the world and caters to an exclusive market, saw the value in that fact.
“Western Canada is a prime travel destination and we proudly showcase Bear Mountain Resort and spectacular British Columbia by bringing this special event once again to Vancouver Island," he said.
For special pre-sale advance tickets visit selectyourtickets.com/promo and type in the code TEESTHESEASON. For details on the PGA Tour Champions, go to PGATOUR.com/Champions.
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