It is official.
The struggling Canadian Tour is going under the umbrella of the U.S.-based PGA Tour.
In an announcement Thursday by PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, chairman of the Canadian Tour board of directors Pierre Blouin and commissioner of the Canadian Tour Rick Janes, the PGA Tour has agreed to assume operational control of what will be known as the PGA Tour Canada in 2013. The conversion will begin Nov. 1.
The PGA Tour gave the Canadian Tour marketing and financial support last year and then evaluated all aspects of the business before making the decision.
"This is big news for us,'' said Keith Dagg, a director with the Victoria Open Golf Society, which helps run the Times Colonist Island Savings Open. "Our tour had some challenges and this means it will not be going away. In my dealing with the PGA, they didn't look down on us at all. They wanted to be a partner with us and they really care.
"With the PGA brand, it is supposed to be easier to market but I will have to see for myself how it works out."
Dagg has been associated with professional golf in Victoria since 1981 and he is the main person responsible for finding sponsorships for the Times Colonist Island Savings Open.
The PGA Tour Canada will provide direct access to the Web.com Tour (one step below the PGA Tour) as the top five Order of Merit (money winners) players will receive playing privileges on the Web.com Tour and the next five will be earn a berth to the finals of the Web.com Tour qualifying school.
Details on the full PGA Tour Canada schedule and the executive will be announced at a later date but Janes indicated he will stay on in a consulting role.
Canadian Tour veteran Stu Anderson from Sooke, who is now on the Web.com Tour, says the news is "all positive."
"This will definitely help out the Canadian Tour," said Anderson, who has played on the Canadian Tour for 11 years, finishing in the top five three times. "Now, if you play well on the Canadian Tour, you will get status on the Web.com Tour. In the past, some top-five Canadian Tour finishers couldn't get over the hump at qualifying school. This will make it easier to get to the next level. This is also a great opportunity coming out of school to play golf at a high level.''
For Victoria's Cory Renfrew, the move by the PGA came one year too late. Renfrew was third in this year's Canadian Tour Order of Merit but he has to go to Q-school next week in California.
"This is probably the best news for the Canadian Tour," said Renfrew. "The top five next year will have exemptions and the next five will advance to Q-school and that is sweet."
The PGA Tour Canada will debut with at least eight tournaments in 2013, offering a minimum purse of $150,00. The goal is to have between and 12 and 13 events in the future. All of the tournaments will be held in Canada during the summer months.
"Having gained a thorough understanding of the golf landscape in Canada over the course of the 2012 season, we are confident that by fully dedicating our assets and resources, PGA Tour Canada will be well positioned to play an increasingly important role in professional golf," said Finchem via teleconference. "With a solid foundation of existing tournaments, along with outstanding opportunities to establish new events, we are confident PGA Tour Canada will strengthen and grow in the coming years. We view this as a win-win proposition that strengthens an established tour in a country that absolutely loves golf."
