Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Heads To Kelowna For Inaugural GolfBC Championship
Beautiful Gallagher's Canyon Golf & Country Club Will Host The Inaugural GolfBC Championship In Kelowna From June 6 -12th - Image Courtesy GolfBC
By Brian Decker, Makenzie Tour - PGA Tour Canada
The Mackenzie Tour heads to Kelowna for the first time this week for the inaugural GolfBC Championship, a brand-new event at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club. Here’s a look at the storylines for the week, including what’s at stake, players to watch and key notes.
Key Info
Dates: June 6-12
Course: Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club (Kelowna, B.C.)
Par/Yards: 36-35—71/6,761
Field: 156
2015 champion: New Event
Purse: $175,000/$31,500 winner’s prize
Format: 72-hole stroke play
Website: golfbcchampionship.com
Twitter: @gbcchampionship / #gbcchamp
What’s at stake
Players are competing this season for position on the season-ending Order of Merit and look to gain access to the Web.com Tour in 2017. Below is a breakdown of the status available, as well as the current Top Five.
Order of Merit position Status
1 Exempt on 2017 Web.com Tour
2-5 Conditional status on Web.com Tour
6-10 Exemption into final stage of Web.com Tour Q-School
11-20 Exemption into second stage of Web.com Tour Q-School
Current Standings (bold denotes Canadian):
1. Dan McCarthy $37,363
2. Adam Cornelson $32,148
3. Taylor Moore $18,900
4. Tyler McCumber $18,900
5. Jeff Rein $12,443
Bendrick becomes first female to compete on Mackenzie Tour in PGA TOUR era
Teeing it up on a sponsor exemption this week, Jacqueline Bendrick of Mercer Island, Wash. will become the first female to compete on the Mackenzie Tour during the PGA TOUR era (2013-present). The Furman University sophomore helped the Paladins to three tournament wins this season.
Machtaler makes first start of season in the Okanagan
2014 National Capital Open to Support Our Troops champion Greg Machtaler will make his first start of the season this week on a sponsor exemption. The Summerland (35 minutes from Kelowna) native has conditional status on the Mackenzie Tour this season. In 2014, the 32-year-old shot a final-round 62 to capture his first Mackenzie Tour win in Ottawa.
Other sponsor exemptions:
Greg Machtaler, Summerland, B.C.
David Rose, West Vancouver, B.C.
Jacqueline Bendrick, Mercer Island, Wash.
Lorens Chan, Honolulu, Hawaii
Conner Kozak, Vernon, B.C.
Chris Trunzer, Buchen, Germany
John Mlikotic, Kelowna, B.C.
At least four Mackenzie Tour members U.S. Open Bound
The following five Mackenzie Tour players punched their tickets to Oakmont for next week’s U.S. Open, earning a spot after playing through Sectional Qualifying. Below are those who qualified, including brief notes on their Mackenzie Tour status (note: one site remains to be completed Tuesday).
Aaron Wise: Exempt after winning 2016 British Columbia Q-School
T.J. Howe: Exempt through first four events after T5 at 2016 USA East Q-School No. 1
Ethan Tracy: Exempt after finishing 22nd on 2016 Order of Merit
Michael Miller: Exempt after finishing 21st on 2016 Order of Merit
Monday Qualifiers
Open Qualifying took place at Okanagan Golf Club (The Quail)
(bold denotes Canadian, * = Mackenzie Tour member).
1. James Seymour (Aurora, Ont.) - 67
T2. Jake Knapp (Cosa Mesa, Calif.) – 68
T2. James Love* (Calgary, Alta.) – 68
T4. Chris Malec* (Webster, New York) – 69
T4. Kyle Peterman* (Savannah, Georgia) – 69
T4. Preston Stanley* (Katy, Tex.) – 69
T7. Ryan Linton* (Ft. Lauderdale, Tex.) – 70
T7. Sean Bozuk (Burlington, Ont.) – 70
T7. Preston Valder* (Yorba Linda, Calif.) – 70
T7. Cody Martin* (Ft. Mitchell, Ken.) – 70
Miscellaneous Notes
- 13 British Columbians are in the field this week: Brad Clapp (Chilliwack); Adam Cornelson (Langley); Brendan Dillon (Port Moody); Seann Harlingten (West Vancouver); Thomas Hay (Langley); Cory Renfrew (Victoria); Kevin Spooner (West Vancouver); Riley Wheeldon (Comox); Ryan Williams (Vancouver); Greg Machtaler (Summerland); David Rose (West Vancouver); Conner Kozak (Vernon); John Mlikotic (Kelowna).
- 28 Canadians are in the field.
- 2015-16 tournament winners in the field: Brad Clapp (2015 The Great Waterway Classic), Chris Ross (2015 The Wildfire Invitational), Kevin Spooner (2015 Syncrude Boreal Open presented by AECON), Dan McCarthy (2016 Freedom 55 Financial Open) and Adam Cornelson (2016 Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist)
- The top three players on the Order of Merit through the first six events of the 2015 season will earn exemptions into the RBC Canadian Open.
Mackenzie Tour alumni notes
- 14 Mackenzie Tour alumni, including eight members from 2015, are inside the top-75 on the Web.com Tour Money List and in position to make the Web.com Tour Finals
- Five players who played on the Mackenzie Tour since 2013 are members of the PGA TOUR this season: Nick Taylor, Tony Finau, Mark Hubbard, Tyler Aldridge and Lucas Lee
For more information contact:
Brian Decker
Media Official
Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada
BrianDecker@pgatourhq.com