Citing the direction of provincial medical and government leaders, the 2020 Shaw Charity Classic has been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The award-winning professional golf event was scheduled to take place at Calgary’s Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club Aug. 24-30.
“Over the past few weeks, we have had extensive meetings with all of our key stakeholders including the PGA TOUR, along with our generous corporate partners and vendors,” executive director Sean Van Kesteren said in a news release.
“We’ve determined that, after weighing all options, it was best to press pause and focus on bringing golf fans back together in 2021.”
The eighth installment of the tournament — which sees 78 stars on the PGA Tour Champions compete for US$2.35 million in three round, 54-hold-stroke-play-tournament — is now scheduled for Aug. 11-15, 2021.
Anyone who purchased their tickets through Showpass will be contacted by the Shaw Charity Classic team over the coming weeks and will be presented with the option to either receive a full refund of their purchase or to donate their ticket costs to a charity within the Birdies for Kids program.
Since 2013, the event has raised more than $48 million for 213 youth-based charities across the province.
Last year, the charity raised $14 million.
“Charity has always been at the heart of this tournament, and this year it is even more important,” Brad Shaw, executive chair and CEO of Shaw Communications said. “While we are unable to physically come together this year, we are absolutely committed to working with the community and our amazing partners to continue the Shaw Charity Classic’s incredible legacy of giving.”
The tournament is the only Canada-based PGA Tour Champions event.