Saskatchewan will be the home of a new event being added to the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada.
Announced Tuesday, the Elk Ridge Open is one of eight official tournaments on the tour this season.
The Elk Ridge Resort is located just outside of Prince Albert National Park and is set for the week of Sept 6. It was recently purchased by Routes2Sk, which is owned by a group of eight professionals born and raised in Saskatchewan.
The deal between the tour and the Elk Ridge Open will last at least eight years.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with the PGA Tour to bring high-calibre professional golf back to the province,” said Ryan Danberg, Routes2Sk manager partner.
“Our partnership group is extremely proud of Elk Ridge Resort, and we can’t wait to showcase the property to the world through our partnership with the Mackenzie Tour.”
This year’s open will be made up of only Canadians due to the COVID-19 restrictions still in place at the Canada-United States border, but next year’s event will see a full field.
“We are very excited to be returning to Saskatchewan, and we can’t thank the partners at Routes2SK for their unwavering commitment to their community and Elk Ridge Resort,” said Scott Pritchard, Mackenzie Tour executive director.
“We truly believe we have all the ingredients to make this one of the favourite stops of the summer on one of the best golf courses in the province. It will surely provide a great test for our players.”
Saskatchewan native and current PGA Tour player and MacKenzie Tour alumnus Graham DeLaet will be the tournament’s honorary chair.
“I look forward to serving as the honorary chairperson for the Elk Ridge Open in my home province,” DeLaet said.
“Elk Ridge Resort is a world-class facility, and I’m excited to work with the new ownership group looking forward to making this significant impact in the community and Saskatchewan.”
This year’s event will be the first time the Mackenzie Tour will take place in Saskatchewan since 2016 when it held the Dakota Dunes Open at Dakota Dunes Golf Links just outside of Saskatoon for eight years.
“This is an exciting opportunity to showcase Saskatchewan’s world-class recreation and tourism industries,” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said.
“The economic spinoff generated by this event will have a significant impact on Elk Ridge and area for years to come.”
The event will be hosted by VMC Sports & Entertainment.