CALGARY – Since it commenced in 2013, Calgary’s Shaw Charity Classic, a golf tournament on the Champions Tour, has placed a significant emphasis on giving back to the community.
That initiative has continued, with the tournament announcing today that it raised $2,406,610 for distribution among 21 youth-based charities in southern Alberta. That topped the tournament’s inaugural year, when it donated $2,276,25, making it the single largest charitable donation in Champions Tour history to that point. Tournament organizers also announced a new date for 2015, with the event returning to Calgary’s Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club from Aug. 5 to 9.
“The Shaw Charity Classic has always been focused on providing Calgarians with the opportunity to witness elite golf, but more importantly to raise significant money to support children’s charities in the province,” said Clay Riddell, the noted Calgary oilman and one of the creators of the tournament. “All of Calgary contributed to this incredible achievement.”
Charities supported by this year’s tournament includes YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre, Hull Services, Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta, KidSport Calgary, and the Children’s Wish Foundation (Alberta and N.W.T.), among others.
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“Today’s announcement is the icing on the cake for what has been a fantastic year for the Shaw Charity Classic,” said Champions Tour President Mike Stevens. “Our players are looking forward to helping to build on this year’s success when we return to Calgary in 2015.”
This year’s tournament was won in dramatic fashion by golf legend Fred Couples, who eagled the final hole to secure a place in a playoff with Billy Andrade. Couples won the tournament on the first playoff hole.
Sean Van Kesteren, the event’s tournament director, said moving the date from the last week of August to earlier in the month offers an opportunity at better weather—cold mornings forced the tournament to back up tee times this year—and draw more spectators.
“We have already witnessed some of the largest crowds on the Champions Tour in our first two years, but Calgarians traditionally are enjoying the final long weekend of summer out of town, so we believe this schedule change by the Champions Tour will help us take the tournament to an even higher level,” he said.
Shaw Communications’ CEO Brad Shaw thanked volunteers who helped make the tournament a reality, adding, “We can’t wait for next year.”
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