Is The Canadian Open A Joke??

[ViciousEgo]

I have been trying to come up with a reason why PGA Tour players even make their way to this event anymore, sure it's one of the oldest events around, not good enough to be considered a MAJOR, though it should be.

In the next few years they are supposed to change the schedule to get out of being a week after the British Open, how long has that been going on and who's idea was it in the first place?? No wonder they can't get the draw they used to. With sponsorship issues in the US, now is the perfect time to try and get this tournament moved on a permanent basis out of the rut it's in now.

Gone are the days of Armour, Palmer, Price, The Shark and of course Woods playing in this great tournament. As usual the only thing we Canadians are concerned about is when a Canadian will win this event again. Well chances are unless things change, it'll be soon. There won't be any internationals wanting to play in this event, so hopefully the field will get to 50% Canadian and then we may have a shot! I'd take a playoff with Weir and Vijay any day versus the other winners in the past 10 years....except for Furyk, winning any event back to back is a great accomplishment.

Our concern as Canadians and Canadian golfers should be the focus of getting more people from around the world playing here in front of a world audience. A Canadian winning on the PGA Tour and winning a major, that's what you should be shooting for! This stop up north is just a small blip on the radar and has some of the worst coverage in golf. It's time for a change, it's time the best players in the world come back and play here in Canada. Happy to see the field of courses getting larger to host this event. I know there is other courses that could and one or two in this area could likely pull it off.......

[jvincent]

Now that RBC has stepped up as a solid sponsor I think the chance of moving to a better date is good.

The tour needs big money sponsors and will be willing to move the tournament to a better slot to accommodate them.

[Shivas Irons]

[QUOTE=ViciousEgo;370892] how long has that been going on and who's idea was it in the first place?? [QUOTE]

You can thank Golf Canada for lobbying the PGA to change it from a September tournament to it's present date.

The best way to get more good players is simple: $$$

The players may claim otherwise, but it is the biggest motivating factor IMO. I also think holding it at St Georges & Royal Montreal more often would help - unlike Glen Abbey, they're both great courses.

[mpare]

With luck we may see RBC as a continuing sponsor given their huge business interests and presence in both Canada and the USA. Their financial influence might even catch Tim Finchem's attention!

Now that RBC has stepped up as a solid sponsor I think the chance of moving to a better date is good.

The tour needs big money sponsors and will be willing to move the tournament to a better slot to accommodate them.

[sensfan63]

Those who pine for the "glory days" of the Canadian Open just can't understand the bottom line...and it's not about the proverbial "bottom line," money, but about the Canadian Open's date.

It's sandwiched right after the British Open, and right before the WGC event and the PGA Championship. You're just not going to get a whole lot of players who will play all of those weeks in a row.

When the new TV contract comes about in 2012, there could be a move to a better date. In fact, given the apparent strength of RBC's sponsorship, I would venture to say that it's almost a certainty.

[jvincent]

But the date is directly related to the prize money.

If RBC went to the tour and said "We're going to raise the purse to $10M and commit for 5 years but only if we get a better date." you can bet that they would be in prime spot in the schedule.

[sensfan63]

But the date is directly related to the prize money.

If RBC went to the tour and said "We're going to raise the purse to $10M and commit for 5 years but only if we get a better date." you can bet that they would be in prime spot in the schedule.

...when the TV contract is up. The Tour schedule is made years in advance, and believe me, if the Canadian Open replaced for example the AT&T National next year, you can bet there'd be all kinds of litigation.

I don't get how you say the date is related to the prize money. The purse for the Canadian Open is pretty standard.

Look, the Tour would never allow a purse for a "regular" event eclipse that of a FedEx Cup event or especially the Players Championship. It's not really about "the money" as you say. Players don't want to be inconvenienced. They don't want hassles. Getting on a plane for six+ hours after a grueling major championship, going thru customs, etc., is not their idea of a good time.

Players on Tour like the Canadian Open. They don't like the date.

[jvincent]

The date is absolutely tied to prize money. It's not like coming to Canada is a big inconvenience.

A sponsor isn't going to put up big bucks for a sub-par field. Don't forget they replaced the International with the ATT very quickly because there were $$$ behind it.

If RBC put of the $$$ it could very easily be one of the FedEx cup tournaments assuming the other sponsors don't up the ante.

Looking at the schedule, the Colonial, which doesn't draw a very strong field, could be replaced. Same for the John Deere, especially if you made the RBC finish one of the qualifiers for the British Open.

[sensfan63]

The date is absolutely tied to prize money. It's not like coming to Canada is a big inconvenience.

A sponsor isn't going to put up big bucks for a sub-par field. Don't forget they replaced the International with the ATT very quickly because there were $$$ behind it.

If RBC put of the $$$ it could very easily be one of the FedEx cup tournaments assuming the other sponsors don't up the ante.

Looking at the schedule, the Colonial, which doesn't draw a very strong field, could be replaced. Same for the John Deere, especially if you made the RBC finish one of the qualifiers for the British Open.

Well, yeah, if RBC increased their sponsorship by 50%, sure, they might have a shot at a FedEx Cup event. Sure. It's just another 2.5 mil, right? Come on now. You think it's just that easy?

I see your point about the John Deere, but that doesn't draw a strong field either, and it's the final way to qualify for the Open Championship. You can't "replace" Colonial, it's Hogan's event and it's tied to the Byron Nelson the week before (or after, can't remember). Too much of a logistical problem.

Fact is, we're already dealing with a compressed timeline because of our golf season. Mid-June to early September is the range, but with the FedEx Cup events, majors, and WGC events in between, there aren't a whole lot of available options.

[jvincent]

Just saw this on another site.

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/artic...ws/7766466.txt

If Deutch Bank doesn't renew then it's a good bet that the Canadian Open moves into that slot.

[ViciousEgo]

Hmm....wonder what answers the Deutch are waiting for. I am sure that will come out eventually......would be a good spot for the Canadian to slip into and maybe become a large scale event in this country again.