Tickets for star-studded Canadian golf showcase go on sale next Monday
Monday, April 5, 2010 Victoria, B.C. – The TELUS World Skins Game, renowned for bringing some of the top names in golf to Canada each summer, rounded out the 2010 field today with the addition of two players ranked in the Top 20 of the Official World Golf Rankings. Ian Poulter of England (ranked 7th) and Retief Goosen of South Africa (ranked 16th) will be joining the previously announced trio of Camilo Villegas of Colombia, Fred Couples of the United States and Canada’s own Mike Weir when the event visits Victoria, B.C.’s Bear Mountain Resort in June.
A two-day pass for the 2010 TELUS World Skins Game is priced at $165 (plus applicable taxes), with a 50 per cent discount for children 12 and under. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, April 12 at 9 a.m. (Pacific Time) and can be purchased online by visiting www.telusskins.com or by calling 1-866-60SKIN1 (1-866-607-5461).
Poulter, who earned his first PGA TOUR victory in February at the World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play, made his first appearance in the TELUS World Skins Game last summer and was an instant hit with the fans in Quèbec City. Known as one of the most colourful players in golf for radical outfits he sometimes wears on the course and his engaging personality, Poulter can be looked at as a serious contender for the 2010 TELUS World Skins Game title.
“I had a great time last year playing in the TELUS World Skins Game, and really appreciate the invitation to play again as the event heads to the West Coast of Canada,” said Poulter. “I’ve obviously enjoyed the start to the 2010 season, but now this return trip to Canada, with the chance to help a great local charity, is sure to go down as one of the highlights of my season.”
Like Poulter, Retief Goosen will also be making his second appearance in the TELUS World Skins Game, having played in 2007 when the event was held in Collingwood, Ontario. With 30 international victories to his credit, including U.S. Open Championships in 2001 and 2004, Goosen is one of the top stars of the game.
“Any time you have the chance to play alongside such great players, and in front of such supportive fans, as the fans in Canada have been whenever I’ve played there, you look forward to it,” said Goosen. “The event comes at the perfect time, where we can enjoy the time on the golf course after a challenging U.S. Open, and I know both the players and the fans there will enjoy it.”
The two-day event will be held on June 21 and 22, 2010 and will feature five of 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.
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 for families staying in Victoria to be near their children being treated at Victoria General Hospital.
“The TELUS team is thrilled we can bring some of the world’s top golfers to Victoria to help make Jeneece Edroff’s dream a reality while supporting the local economy through an influx of tourists and impactful television coverage,” said Darren Entwistle, TELUS president and CEO. “Jeneece Place is an important project that will make life easier for families during very challenging times in their lives, and we are committed to seeing it built.”
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 and opened in August 2003. In June of 2009 the new Nicklaus Design Valley Course opened, giving Bear Mountain the distinction as 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.
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. Regular updates about the 2010 tournament will be posted on www.telusskins.com.
