PGA TOUR Latinoamerica winner Drew Nesbitt, Team Canada member Josh Whalen, Korn Ferry Tour Player Albin Choi, and 2016 PGA of Canada Player of the Year Danny King headline the exciting field for the Ontario Open
Special celebrity exemptions include CFL Hall of Famer Damon Allen,
and former Our Lady Peace drummer Jeremy Taggart.
Tottenham, ON – Golf Ontario and Woodington Lake Golf Club are pleased to announce the final field that will be competing in the return of the historic Ontario Open. A full field of 144 players have qualified for this exciting event and will be competing for a guaranteed purse $40,000.
Recent PGA TOUR Latinoamerica winner Drew Nesbitt will try to mirror recent tour successes in the hopes of a strong performance at the Ontario Open, and will be joined by fellow PGA TOUR Latinoamerica player Russell Budd. Korn Ferry Tour player Albin Choi will also be at Woodington Lake along with MacKenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada standout Riley Wheeldon.
Other notable additions to the field include 3-time winner of both the Canadian and Ontario PGA Championships Danny King; recent Great Lakes Tour Canada Cup winner Eric Banks of Truro, Nova Scotia; recent Team Canada National Team member Josh Whalen; former Big Break Indian Wells competitor David Byrne; and the top 3 finishers from the recent Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championships: winner Charles Fitzsimmons along with Philip Arci and Simon McInnis.
There are also 2 special exemptions to the championship: CFL Hall of Famer Damon Allen, along with former Our Lady Peace drummer Jeremy Taggart.
“We are thrilled to be bringing back the Ontario Open, one of the oldest golf Championships in the world in 2019” said Mike Kelly, Executive Director of Golf Ontario. “This Championship is a true open championship and has attracted some of the best golfers in Ontario and beyond to test their games on the beautiful Woodington Lake Golf Club. With a purse of $40,000, and with names like Nesbitt, Whalen, Choi, and King, we can’t wait to see the level of competition as the players compete to have their names engraved on the champions trophy, along with the likes of Sam Snead, Moe Norman, and George Knudson” continued Kelly.
Domenic DiGironimo, General Manager of Woodington Lake Golf Club echoed Kelly’s excitement at the return of this storied Championship. “We are beyond thrilled to be partnering with Golf Ontario to be bringing back the Ontario Open. The thought of being part of the return of a Championship with previous winners like Snead, Norman and Knudson, is something that gets the whole team at Woodington Lake Golf Club excited, and we can’t wait for the Championship to begin. With our recent course renovations, we know the course will be in peak condition for the Open.”
CLICK HERE FOR A FULL FIELD LIST FOR THE 2019 ONTARIO OPEN
CLICK HERE FOR LIVE SCORING FOR THE 2019 ONTARIO OPEN
The Ontario Open will take place on the Legends Course at Woodington Lake Golf Club on 26-29, 2019. Practice rounds will be on Monday August 26, followed by Championship rounds Tuesday August 27 to Thursday August 29. Admission is free for attendees who want to witness the incredible golf that will be played at Woodington Lake.
More information can be found at www.theontarioopen.ca
For a preview of the Championship from Rogers TV go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utecRUwWGyk
There are many great partners that are helping to bring back the Ontario Open. Woodington Lake Golf Club has signed on for 5 years to be the official host club of the event. The Evanov Radio Group is providing key support as the lead media partner for the event. And the list of current sponsors is a strong one, providing key support to help make the event a success. Presenting partners are Moosehead Breweries and TaylorMade Canada. Other great partners include Beattie’s Distillers, Lavazza Coffee, Tre Amici Wines, Yamaha Turf Care, Serpa Automotive Group, and Pro Accessibility Ltd.
ABOUT GOLF ONTARIO
Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization and is focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 450 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the rules of the game intact, to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to shaping lives through Golf.
ABOUT WOODINGTON LAKE GOLF CLUB
Woodington Lake Golf Club is home to 36 holes of picturesque golf in Tottenham, Ontario, just north of Toronto. The original course, The Legend Course opened in 1995, and is built on over 200 acres of rolling terrain. Carved from towering pine forest and nestle around Woodington Lake, this course Is truly legendary. The newest addition to Woodington Lake Golf Club is the Legacy course, a true mix of Links and Stadium styles. With very challenging water hazards, along with fast and undulating greens, the Legacy course will keep golfers of every skill coming back for more.
For more information, please contact:
Peter MacKellar, Manager, Marketing Communications
Golf Ontario; 905-852-1101 ext. 224
pmackellar@gao.ca
Dave Struthers, Sr. Director, Marketing & Communication
Golf Ontario, 905-852-1101 ext 239
dstruthers@gao.ca
