I was saddened but not surprised when I saw the Nationwide schedule for 2011 yesterday and realised they had dropped the Wayne Gretzky Classic from the rotation after the major sponsor, Ford, did not renew after their 3 year tenure.
Saddened because I never like to see pro golf events as prestigious as this one leave not only our country but our province and their was a certain buzz to this one amongst us in the media because many were invited to play. I certainly had everyone except Wayne on our Fairways golf show over the 3 years to promote it, but I am not surprised it is gone and here's why.
First the location. While the Georgian Bay Club and the Raven Golf Club have beautiful settings they are too far from Toronto and as important, the courses ranked among the easiest on the Nationwide tour. We all know players love to play great traditional courses that are a tough examination of their games. Neither course qualifies...
As for the press coverage, unless your paper, station was going to pay for you to go up there and stay for a week or even a weekend, none of the guys were going to go, and the economic climate in our industry has been all about cutting back so guys weren't being sent to cover the majors never mind a Nationwide tour event.
Public attendance was poor, but then again it always is unless it is our National Opens. I broadcast from the Nationwide / CPGA championship out at Diamondback when Richard Zokol won, one of his career highlights and despite a nominal entry fee ($10) and TV coverage it was a man and his dog attending..
The tour also eliminated its New Zealand-Australia swing, which kicked off the 2010 schedule which isn't surprising considering the trip involved, however that New Zealand PGA in Christchurch was a happy hunting ground for our Canucks. I remember Jim Rutledge winning it and David Morland was in contention as well. This time around, the tour’s 22nd season will open February 24th in Panama before travelling to Colombia the following week. The tour arrives back on North American shores in Louisiana in March.
The final full-field event will once again be played at the home of the PGA Tour, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida followed by the Nationwide Tour Championship.
Bryan Angus
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