Fore! Oilers partner with PGA Tour to bring Oil Country Championship golf tournament to Edmonton

EDMONTON — The Oilers Entertainment Group and the PGA Tour have come together to bring a new, professional golf tournament to Edmonton this summer.

The Oil Country Championship will be played at the Glendale Golf and Country Club from July 25 to 31. The tournament will be an annual stop on the Mackenzie Tour, a PGA Tour affiliate that showcases some of the best up and coming golf talent from around the world.

“Last year two of the four players that were nominated for rookie of the year on the PGA Tour, Nick Taylor and Tony Finau, played with us in 2013. So I think that’s the type of calibre of play you’re going to see,” Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday said.

“This is an exciting addition to our schedule, and we’re confident we can create a marquee event in the Canadian golf landscape.”

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Mayor Don Iveson is excited at the idea of hosting another world-class event in Edmonton.

“This tournament is a great addition to our summer lineup of exciting sports competitions and we look forward to welcoming some of the best golfers in the world to Edmonton.”

The five-year deal will see the tournament stick around until at least 2020. Next year it’ll be held at Windermere Golf and Country Club. The Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club will host in 2018 and the Edmonton Country Club will host in 2019. The location for 2020 is yet to be determined.

“We hope that that five years turns into 50,” Monday said.

There are also plans for a Pro-Am.

“We have so many great athletes here in Edmonton. We’re going to reach out to them to see if they’d like to get involved in this, so it could really get into the community in so many different ways,” Bob Nicholson, CEO of the Oilers Entertainment Group, said.

There are also plans to raise money for charity through the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, something Nicholson calls a “clear win-win” for the community.

Edmonton last hosted the Mackenzie Tour in 2012 when Burlington, Ontario’s Michael Gligic claimed victory at the ATB Financial Classic.

With files from Kent Morrison, Global News.