Tournament of Champions tees off Monday at Nicklaus North

The iconic 17th hole at Nicklaus North Golf Course awaits 32 teams competing in Monday's PGA of BC Tournament of Champions presented by Thunderbolt Sign & VIP Golf. (Courtesy Golf BC)

 

MAY 24, 2017

It’s been a decade since a host club has won the PGA of BC Tournament of Champions, but Andrew Smart and Nick Papoutsis will hope to reverse that trend in Whistler next week.

The Tournament of Champions presented by Thunderbolt Sign & VIP Golf is set for Monday, May 29, at Nicklaus North Golf Course, which will welcome 32 teams consisting of a PGA of BC Professional and their club champion for the event.

Smart, the Nicklaus North Head Professional who celebrated his 20-year anniversary at the course this spring, and club champ Papoutis are veterans of the event, having played the Tournament of Champions as a duo at least a half-dozen times in the past.

“Not veterans of the podium, though,” said Smart. “I’ve known Nick for 35 years. He’s a nice player – drives the ball as well as anybody I know and he’s a strong putter. I think he’s won our club championship six or seven times, so he’s a talented amateur.”

Smart and Papoutis may have an edge on the competition in local knowledge, but are likely to have fewer rounds under their belt in 2017 compared to most, as lingering snow meant the course couldn’t open until just a couple of weeks ago.  

“You’d always believe that you have home-course advantage, but that rarely is the case, especially after the winter we’ve had here in Whistler,” said Smart. “It’s been a long one.”

Despite that, Nicklaus North came out of the cold season in excellent shape and Smart is eager for his facility to host a PGA of BC competition for the first time since 2011.

“It’s an honour to be able to have the top pros and some of the best amateurs in the province out there,” said Smart.

“I’m excited to have everybody up and to see some old friends. It’s great camaraderie and good to catch up with people we don’t get a chance to see very often.”

Last year’s Tournament of Champions was captured by Two Eagles Golf Course & Academy Head Professional Dean Claggett and amateur Brandon Ortiz. But with no team representing Two Eagles this year, there will be no defending champions at Nicklaus North.

However, Monday’s tee sheet will be adorned with several past winners of the event. Seven PGA of BC Professionals and three amateurs in the field have hoisted the Tournament of Champions trophy before.

That includes both members of the Kelowna Golf & Country Club team, as pro Rob Anderson and amateur Norm Bradley were both winners of the event in its fledgling years. Anderson won the second edition of the event in 2004 while working out of The Harvest Golf Club while Bradley teamed up with Greg Pidlaski to win it for Kelowna in 2005.

With a runner-up finish to his credit last year as well, Anderson knows a thing or two about finding success in this event.

“Mostly it’s about going out there and having a good time with your club champion,” said Anderson, who hasn’t teamed with Bradley before but has plenty of confidence in Kelowna’s reigning men’s and senior men’s club champion.

“He’s not weak anywhere and he’s very steady. He’s one of the straightest players, typically. He’s very competitive, never gives up and he’s a good guy to have on your team.”

Just two other teams are similarly comprised of two past winners. Royal Colwood’s Jason Geisbrecht and Kevin Carrigan (pictured) combined to win the event in 2014 at University Golf Club and will be paired together again Monday, while 2015 winning pro Lindsay Bernakevitch and 2007 winning amateur Craig Doell will try to bring Victoria Golf Club a record third title at the Tournament of Champions.

View the event page for the Tournament of Champions presented by Thunderbolt Sign & VIP Golf to see the full confirmed field.

Tournament of Champions fast facts:

-Kelowna Golf & Country Club, Mission Golf & Country Club and Victoria Golf Club are tied for the all-time lead with two victories in the PGA Tournament of Champions. However, Victoria is the only facility to win the event twice outright, as Kelowna and Mission were declared co-winners in 2008.

-Other past champions in the field include Capilano Golf & Country Club’s Mark Thirtle (2013), Glacier Greens Golf Course’s Bill Kelly (2011), Fairview Mountain Golf Club’s Brian McDonald (2010) and Qualicum Beach Memorial Golf Club’s Ross Mantell (2009).

-According to available PGA of BC records, the scoring record for the event is 62, set by Doell and Mike Parker for Victoria Golf Club on their home track in 2007, becoming the only team in the event’s history to win while hosting. The all-time low score relative to par was established by Geisbrecht and Carrigan in 2014, when their 9-under round of 63 topped the field.

-Expect a tight finish. Since 2005, only one Tournament of Champions has been decided by more than two strokes.

-Thunderbolt Sign and VIP Golf are both Silver-level Preferred Partners of the PGA of BC, and will be co-presenting sponsors of the Tournament of Champions through 2018.

For more information, please contact:

Eric MacKenzie
Communications & Marketing Manager, PGA of BC
604-303-6766
On-site contact number at event: 778-995-3331
eric@pgabc.org

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