PGA Tour Champions will return to Greater Victoria in 2017.
The senior golf circuit confirmed the stop at Bear Mountain with the official release of its schedule Tuesday, which includes the Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship on the Mountain Course from Sept. 11 to 17, 2017.
It comes a week earlier than this year’s event, which was won in an exciting three-hole playoff by Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie when he rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 18.
Bear Mountain officials chose not to comment for now, stating there are still a few I’s to dot and T’s to cross to finalize contracts.
Following the conclusion of the 2016 tournament, many players expressed their interest in venturing back to the Island resort, including Montgomerie, runner-up Scott McCarron and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, who recorded a course record 61 on the final day.
“It’s my new favourite golf course,” McCarron said afterward. “When I first came here on [the] Tuesday, I just loved the layout. It’s really one of the prettiest golf courses I’ve played my whole life. I think this whole place is one of my favourite places and I’d come back here on vacation, in a second.”
Montgomerie also had rave reviews for the property.
“I always treat golf courses as how many poor holes there are. This is a very good one. There’s not one poor hole on this golf course,” he said following his win.
And Jimenez, who enjoyed some of the splendid wines offered at the resort and some of the local eateries, said: “I will come next year, don’t worry. No problem, I will be here.”
Total attendance from this year’s event was never made available, but a source said the tournament drew roughly 6,000 fans per day and had targeted closer to 10,000. The tournament was broadcast on the Golf Channel to rave reviews.
The tournament, with a $2.5 million US purse, follows the Japan Airlines Championship at the Narita Golf Club in Narita-shi, Chiba, Japan, and precedes the Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills in California.
The other Canadian stop on PGA Tour Champions is set for Aug. 28 to Sept. 3, 2017, with the Shaw Charity Classic in the Calgary area.
The 2017 schedule tees off Jan. 16-21 with the Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii and concludes with the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix from Nov. 6-12.
