When it comes to men’s professional golf tournaments in Canada, only one tournament comes to mind. The RBC Canadian Open. As it should, if for no other reason, it is Canada’s national championship and the third oldest tournament in all of golf. However, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention the Shaw Charity Classic that’s played on PGA TOUR Champions (formerly Champions Tour). However, there is one other significant feverishly contested men;s professional golf tournament that takes place in Canada. Le Coupe Canada (Canada Cup).
Now in its ninth year, Le Coupe Canada took place in Victoriaville, Quebec at the stunning Club de Golf Victoriaville. Sponsored by the likes of title sponsors Sani Marc (Sani Marc Group is one of Canada’s leading manufacturers and distributors of cleaning and sanitation products for three major markets) and Fenergic (a company that focuses on custom windows and doors). Moreover, the Chamber of Commerce for the Town of Victoriaville gets behind this event as it too, is an official sponsor of the event. More than 150 players from across Canada vie for a purse of $125,000. The winner of the event receives $25,000.
Many of the players in the field of Le Coupe Canada have seen starts on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Canada. The field itself is comprised of players from various developmental tours and provincial PGA associations. Leading the way is the Great Lakes Tour which offers 36 spots into the tournament, the East Coast Pro Tour (31), Vancouver Golf Tour (16), PGA du Quebec (10), Ominium Machinex – Machinex Open (10), Toronto Players Tour (5), and the host venue Club de Golf Victoriaville (4). This doesn’t include the PGA of Ontario, Golf Quebec, Circuit de golf de la Capitale (CGC), and other associations.
The host venue Club de Golf Victoriaville itself is nestled among the rolling landscape of Victoriaville, QC. The golf course is a fair test to golfers of all levels and is worth column of its own. With a tricky set of Par 3 holes, challenging well-bunkered green complexes (many of which feature an uphill approach), plenty of uneven lies, and large undulating greens that roll true. Club de Golf Victoriaville offers a “Carolinian Vibe” when you venture around the course tree-lined with tall pines. It’s a golf course where striking the golf ball well and landing it where you intended is at a premium. With 70 mm of rain the golf course is soft. Club de Golf Victoriaville will be playing longer than it’s 6,689 yards suggests.
Past winners of Le Coupe Canada include Eric Hawerchuk, Lee Curry, Eric Banks, Brendan Leonard, and Newfoundland’s Blair Bursey in 2021. Etienne Papineau was the Amateur Champion in 2019 and earlier this year made his PGA TOUR debut at the Phoenix Waste Management Open.
Until The Next Tee!!
#fightandgrind #seeuonthenexttee
The Next Tee (TNT) 