The 61st playing of the national championship features a field 156 golfers competing for the senior title along with a super senior division and an inter-provincial team competition
Pemberton, B.C. – The 2023 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO is set for September 5-8 with a field of 156 amateur golfers competing over four rounds at Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton, B.C.
The field competing for the John Ranking Memorial Trophy includes defending champion Rusty Strawn of McDonagh, Ga. along with seven of the most recent winners—Darren Ritchie (2021), Gene Elliott (2019, 2017), Brady Exber (2018), Jack Hall (2015), Doug Roxburgh (2014) and David Schultz (2013).
“We are very excited to be back at another Robert Cupp designed course for the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship. As one of the premier golf destinations in British Columbia, Big Sky Golf Club will present a tough, but incredibly enjoyable challenge to our field of Canadian and International Senior amateurs.,” said Sam Brown, Tournament Director, Golf Canada. “Having hosted numerous provincial championships, I am looking forward to working with the staff at the club as they host their very first National Championship. It is shaping up to be a great week, both on and off the course in Pemberton.”
Big Sky was designed by Robert Cupp and opened in 1994, earning the runner-up spot as best new course in Canada by Golf Digest magazine. Cupp uses a southern style course design that includes wide bent-grass fairways surrounded by dense bluegrass rough, fescue and water hazards lurking on every hole with demanding second shots. Green complexes are surrounded by false edges that feed into hollows and swales that are closely mown to give players unlimited options to be creative in the short game.
“We are excited for the upcoming week. We have hosted a variety of provincial amateur championships and championships of the Pacific Northwest, but never a national championship,” said Corry Butler, Director of Golf, Big Sky Golf Club. “We look forward to hosting a great field of senior championship competitors and the test that Big Sky will present them.”
The Canadian Men’s Senior Championship was established in 1962 for golfers aged 55-and-over and includes a Super Senior division for golfers 65-and-over that was introduced in 1995. The national championship consists of 72 holes of stroke-play with a cut after 36 holes. The Super Senior Championship is contested concurrently over the four rounds of the championship. In addition, the Senior Inter-Provincial Team Championship was added in 1977 and runs concurrently through the first 36 holes of the tournament.
Practice rounds are scheduled for Monday, September 4, and the tournament gets underway on Tuesday, September 5.
The champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.
For the full player field competing in the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.
GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.