Canadian PGA Seniors’ Championship Heats up with Scorching Field

Past PGA Tour and Champions Tour Players compete for National Title

OTTAWA, ON – The Canadian PGA is pleased to announce one of the hottest competitive fields in recent history in Ottawa this week to compete for the 2009 Canadian PGA Seniors’ Championship, July 8th -11th at The Marshes Golf Club at Brookstreet Resort.

The three-day National Championship will highlight some of the best Canadian senior professionals, the majority with resumes including PGA and Champions Tour experience. This year, the impressive cast of players boasts years of collaborative experience in Championship golf through the likes of Rod Spittle, Bruce Heuchan, Ray Stewart, Craig Marseilles, and defending champion Yvan Beauchemin to name just a few.

“We are very excited to have such a competitive field at the Canadian PGA Seniors’ Championship; in fact, this may be one of the strongest fields we have ever had,” said Lindon Garron, President of the Canadian PGA. “It is truly fitting that such a celebrated environment like The Marshes in Ottawa is going to host some of the most accomplished Canadian Senior golfers."

Rod Spittle of Niagara Falls, ON is making his first appearance at the Canadian PGA Seniors’ Championship this week after a successful run on the Champions Tour. In his last four years, Spittle has played in over 25 events and earned almost $480,000 but has yet to cash a cheque or play in a senior tour event in 2009. His best year on tour to date was in 2007 where he made 13 cuts and earned over $300,000 which was propelled when he placed second at the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn placing him 53rd on the money list. Spittle had a tremendous amateur career claiming the 1977 and 1978 Canadian Amateur Championship title after finishing second at the Canadian Junior Championship only a few years earlier. In 1978, Spittle also represented Canada in the World Amateur Team Championships placing third. Recently, Spittle claimed the 2003, 2001 and 2000 Ohio Mid Amateur Championship before becoming the Platinum Champ ion at Paris Grand on the Great Lakes Tour.

European Seniors’ Tour member and resident of Kelowna, BC, Bruce Heuchan will also be making his debut this week in the Canadian PGA Seniors’ Championship. Last year, Heuchan was the top Canadian on the European Seniors’ Tour placing 50th on the Order of Merit. His best finish in 2008 was 12th at the Weston Homes PGA International Seniors event. A consistent performer on tour, he finished in the top 30 in three consecutive seasons from 2005 when he was 19th on the money list. He finished third twice on the Senior Tour in the DGM Barbados Open in 2006 and the Irvine Whitlock Seniors Classic in Jersey the previous year. In 2003, Heuchan became the second Canadian to win the Senior Tour Qualifying School – following Doug Robb, also from British Columbia. Heuchan also spent nine years working as a caddie for a number of different players on the PGA Tour.

Ray Stewart of Abbotsford, BC was a former PGA Tour player in 1983 then from 1987 to 1993. He finished T-10th at the 1991 Canadian Open and T-4th at 1990 Greater Milwaukee Open. He is a two-time Canadian Tour champion in 1999. In 1994 he captured the Dunhill Cup with teammates Dave Barr and Rick Gibson representing Canada. Stewart also played on the Dunhill squad in 1995 and Canadian World Cup team in 1999. Stewart advanced to the final stage of Champions Tour qualifying school in 2005, but failed to attain exempt status. The veteran Canadian Tour member did not play in any Canadian Tour events in 2007 or 2008; however, Stewart has played in two events this year in early June, but failed to make the cut.

Past PGA Tour player Craig Marseilles of Maple, ON is returning for his second attempt at the National Championship. Marseilles, holds three Ontario PGA Championship titles (’91, ’93, ’98) and has been hot this year capturing the 2009 Simmlands Ontario PGA Senior Spring Championship, the 2009 Ontario PGA Senior Pro / Junior Pro Championship with Canadian PGA Tournament Director Brad Moyer as well as winning on the Great Lakes Tour regular series this June at Woodington Lakes GC. Marseilles has an impressive golf career that that has taken him all over the world including three runner-up finishes at the Bermuda Open and a trip to the 1995 US Open after making it through sectional qualifying.

Defending champion, five-time Canadian PGA National Championship winner, and one of the most decorated players in Quebec PGA history, Yvan Beauchemin of Louiseville, QC will be returning to The Marshes to defend his title this week. Beauchemin is no stranger to Canadian golf fans having won or been in the hunt of almost every tournament in Quebec that he was eligible for as well as claiming the 2007 Order of Merit on the Quebec PGA tour. Beauchemin owns a piece of Canadian PGA history as the only four-time champion of the Canadian PGA Club Professional Championship and the only player to win the event in three consecutive years (’94, ’95, ’96).

Last year was Beauchemin’s first year of eligibility for the Canadian PGA Seniors’ Championship and this year he will be looking to defend his title teeing it up with Rod Spittle and local favourite and past champion Graham Gunn (’06) at 8:10AM Thursday July 9th.

A few other professionals shaping up the field this week: Past Champions Tour member Norm Jarvis, past Canadian PGA Seniors’ champions, Hocan Olsson (’05), Adam Brown (’04), Ken Fulton (’96) and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Bob Panasik (’97, ’98, ’01).

Activities will begin Wednesday, July 8th with the Deloitte Pro-Am tournament hosted at the Marshes Golf Club. The $25,000 Canadian PGA Seniors’ Championship will commence Thursday, July 9th and will consist of a three-day, 54-hole individual stroke play. The Super Seniors’ (60 and older) and Diamond (70 and older) divisions will be contested over 36 holes in two days.

The Marshes Golf Club is one of the premier golf destinations and leading corporate-play facility in the National Capital Region. The Robert Trent Jones II design opened for public play in 2001 and has garnered many accolades. The 7,027-yard course includes six par 3s, six par 4s and six par 5s.

Tournament History:

The Canadian PGA Seniors Championship was first played in 1938 as a division of the Canadian PGA Championship. In 1973, the Seniors’ Championship became an independent event and has stayed that way ever since. Among the Canadian golf legends to win this championship are Stan Leonard, Moe Norman, Bob Panasik and Al Balding. Norman won this championship a record seven straight years from 1979 to 1985 while Balding stunned the golf world by winning the championship at age 76 in 2000.


About the Canadian PGA:

Established in 1911, the Canadian Professional Golfers’ Association is a non-profit association comprised of approximately 3,500 golf professionals across the country with a mandate to promote and advance the game of golf, serving the needs of both its membership and the golf public through professional and junior golf development programs and high-calibre competitive events. The National Office is located in Acton, Ontario with nine Zone Offices across the country. For more information, visit www.cpga.com