Golf enthusiasts in Ottawa are in for a treat this July as PGA TOUR Canada kicks off the summer with a tournament in the capital.
The Commissionaires Ottawa Open – an official Fortinet Cup tournament – will take place between July 17-23 at Eagle Creek Golf Club.
The tournament will feature more than 150 professionals from around the world, competing to earn a spot on the Korn Ferry Tour for the following season.
While this isn’t the first time the tournament has come to Ottawa – it was held in the city four times between 2013 and 2017 – it is the first time players will compete at Eagle Creek, which features a 573-yard, par-5 finishing hole as well as a 16-acre lake.
“We have always had a terrific relationship with our nation’s capital, and to hold the Commissionaires Ottawa Open on such a quality course as Eagle Creek Golf Club only enhances our 2023 Fortinet Cup schedule,” said Scott Pritchard, PGA TOUR Canada executive director.
Supported by close to 300 volunteers and generating millions of dollars in local economic activity, the tournament is a welcome addition to the city’s roster of summer events.
Included in this year’s lineup of golfers is a familiar face: Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux. Also acting as honorary chair for the event, Giroux says he is excited to play alongside the talented players participating in the event.
“The Commissionaires Ottawa Open will be a tremendous event for the city,” adds tournament director and ClubEG vice-president, Andy Rajhathy. “It will attract some of the best young players in the world and give golf fans an opportunity to see them in action at Eagle Creek, which is without doubt one of the best golf courses in our region.”
A PGA tour with a notable cause
Proceeds from this year’s tournament will benefit Soldier On, a Canadian Armed Forces program that contributes to the recovery of ill and injured CAF members and veterans by providing opportunities and resources for them to remain active and engaged through sports, recreational, and creative activities.
For Paul Guindon, CEO of Commissionaires Ottawa and a 33-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Navy, this was the perfect partnership for the security organization.
“We are thrilled to be a part of this prestigious event,” says Guindon. “It is such a good fit for Commissionaires to align with PGA TOUR Canada to support the courageous women and men who have served our country, and their families, as they adapt, overcome and quite literally ‘soldier on’.”
Commissionaires is Canada’s largest private sector employer of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and RCMP veterans, employing 22,000 members of all ages and backgrounds across the country.
With a focus on security, fingerprinting, pre-employment background screening services, as well as other security sectors, the organization is a key contributor to Ottawa’s business community – just another reason the team is excited to be involved in bringing such a major event to the capital, adds Guindon.
“This is an opportunity not only to celebrate the tournament’s return to Ottawa, but we are excited that proceeds are benefiting one of the many important programs managed by Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services,” he says.
To get tickets, or for a full tournament schedule, visit OttawaOpen.golf.
