Shaw Charity Classic wins prestigious Champions Tour award

CALGARY – Fred Couple’s playoff win over Billy Andrade at this year’s Shaw Charity Classic wowed the crowd, and the tournament’s success has continued off the course.

The second-year tournament won the “President’s Award,” handed out by the Champions Tour to an event that captures all of “intangibles that make it stand out from the rest.”

The Calgary tournament, held at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club in August, exceeded $2-million in charitable donations for the second consecutive year.  The official fundraising tally will be announced next Friday morning.

The Shaw Charity Classic is the first Champions Tour event outside of the U.S. to receive the “President’s Award” accolade. Professional golfers over the age of 50 are allowed to compete on the Champions Tour and it has many of the game’s most prominent names, from Couples, to Mark O’Meara, Bernhard Langer, Hale Irwin and others.

“The Shaw Charity Classic was an exceptional event in its first year and elevated its performance and stature on the Champions Tour in its second,” said Miller Brady, senior vice-president for the Champions Tour.

 “Tournament officials attracted one of the strongest fields of the season, [which was] a direct result of players convincing those who skipped the inaugural event that it was a ‘must play’ tournament. Everyone involved should take great pride in how the event has rapidly developed.”

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Sean Van Kesteren, tournament director for the Shaw Charity Classic, said the award is an indication of the event’s success in the community and on the course.

“Winning the prestigious Champions Tour President’s Award means the Shaw Charity Classic is doing a lot of things right, but more importantly it recognizes how Shaw, the patrons, the community at large, and all of our partners and stakeholders through their commitment and support the championship, are making a significant impact and helping many kids in need,” Van Kesteren said.

This year’s Shaw Charity Classic saw Couples, one of the sport’s biggest names, shoot 61 with an eagle on the final hole to enter into a playoff with Andrade. Couples made birdie in the playoff for his 11^th Champions Tour victory.