Annual Canadian golf showcase coming to Victoria, raising funds for Jeneece Place
VICTORIA, March 23 /CNW/ – Mike Weir will headline the 2010 TELUS World Skins Game when it comes to Victoria, British Columbia for the first time on June 21 and 22.
Weir, who was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame last year, will make his eighth appearance at the TELUS World Skins Game. In his previous seven appearances he has earned 22 skins for a total of $450,000 while also being instrumental in the event’s charitable efforts. In the last nine years, TELUS World Skins games have raised almost $1.3 million for local charities.
“I’m looking forward to visiting Victoria this summer to compete in the TELUS World Skins Game, but more importantly to help raise funds to build a home-away-from-home for sick kids and their families at Jeneece Place,” said Weir. “I’m especially proud to participate in this incredible event which has offered me the chance to visit many of the country’s top golf destinations over the years and support some great causes. I’m excited to be able to play in front of the fans in British Columbia who have always been very supportive of me.”
The two-day event will be held on June 21 and 22, 2010 and will feature the top names in international golf each representing a different country. The intimate, relaxed setting of the Skins Game format allows players to engage with the cameras and the crowds as they compete against each other for pride, prize money and the event’s designated charity, Jeneece Place.
“Not only will the 2010 TELUS World Skins Game create tremendous local economic benefit for Victoria during these challenging times, it will help support an important cause near to all of our hearts – the construction of Jeneece Place,” said Darren Entwistle, TELUS president and CEO. “Jeneece Edroff is a very special young woman and TELUS is thrilled to help make her dream of a safe, happy home-away-from-home for Vancouver Island children visiting the Victoria General Hospital a reality.”
The TELUS World Skins Game is always a highlight of the Canadian summer sporting schedule for the country’s most passionate golf fans, as well as the community that hosts it. Fulfilling its promise to ‘give where we live’, TELUS partners with local charitable organizations to make a difference as the event travels from coast-to-coast. Funds are generated through the ‘Charity on the Course’ program which includes donations made for every birdie and eagle played by the professional golfers during the two days of competition, as well as an online charity auction through eBay.
This summer’s game will improve the quality of life for Vancouver Island’s sick kids and their families for years to come as the money raised during the event will benefit the Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children in support of Jeneece Place, a home-away-from-home to be located near the Victoria General Hospital.
TELUS, the Jeneece Place Foundation, the Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children and their partners have already raised more than $400,000 for this important project, jump-starting the planning and architecture work. The Jeneece Place Foundation is close to finalizing the site for the facility. In July of last year, Darren Entwistle announced TELUS would also contribute $100 to the creation of Jeneece Place for every new TELUS TV customer on Vancouver Island. TELUS’ long-standing commitment to local charities such as Jeneece Place recently won international recognition when the Association for Fundraising Professionals named TELUS the world’s top philanthropic corporation for 2010.
Bear Mountain Resort’s Mountain Course was co-designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son Steve. In June of 2009, the new Nicklaus Design Valley Course opened, adding another 18 holes to the existing Mountain Course. The addition gives Bear Mountain the distinction of being the only resort in Canada with 36 holes of Nicklaus Design golf.
The TELUS World Skins Game will take place on the Mountain Course – a masterpiece, offering challenging terrain and spectacular natural beauty. A par 72 playing at 7,212 yards, the course takes full advantage of its setting atop a 1,100-foot mountain, exhibiting dramatic elevation changes and awe-inspiring views. The par 71, 6,807 yard Valley Course is more forgiving and plays at a lower elevation than the Mountain Course. It alternates between 300 and 400 feet above sea level with different vistas and scenery, but is equally spectacular. Bear Mountain also features a Westin Hotel, Spa, Athletic Club, a variety of restaurants and a Village to round out the complete resort experience.
“We’re very proud of Bear Mountain Resort and look forward to the opportunity to welcome five of the top golfers in the world, including Canada’s very own Mike Weir, when we host the TELUS World Skins Game,” said Len Barrie, president and CEO of Bear Mountain Resort. “We know that Bear Mountain will provide a world-class test of golf for these players and that it will be a thrill of a lifetime for British Columbia golf fans to witness them play in their own backyard.”
“There is obviously plenty of excitement surrounding sports in British Columbia right now, and we’re looking forward to that carrying over to this summer when the TELUS World Skins Game comes to Victoria for the first time in the event’s 18-year history,” said Danny Fritz, vice-president, IMG Canada. “With a spectacular host course at Bear Mountain Resort and a spectacular field, we expect another world-class event in June.”
Owned and operated by IMG in Canada for 18 years, the TELUS World Skins Game has included many of the biggest names in the game including Jack Nicklaus, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples and Greg Norman. Additional players for the 2010 tournament will be announced in the coming weeks and regular updates will be posted on www.telusskins.com.
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