Final national championship of the season features a field of 156 golfers competing for the senior title along with a super senior division and an
inter-provincial team competition
Saugeen Shores, Ont. – The 2024 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO is set for September 12-15 with a field of 156 amateur golfers competing over four rounds at Saugeen Golf Club in Saugeen Shores, Ont.
Saskatchewan has eight players in the field this year. Making up Team Saskatchewan is champion Colin Coben (Delisle), Brent Wotypka (Swift Current), and Ken Rodgers of Regina.
Also competing is Saskatoon’s Brad Phelps and Warren Proctor, Rick Hallberg of Weyburn, Prince Albert’s Martin Ring, and Rob Schneider of Regina.
The field competing for the John Rankin Memorial Trophy features five past winners including defending champion Doug Hanzel of Savannah, Ga., Darren Ritchie of St. John, N.B. (2021), Brady Exber of Las Vegas, Nev. (2018), Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga. (2015) and David Schultz of Calgary, Alta. (2013).
Along with the past champions, among those in the field are Dave Bunker of Ridgeway, Ont. who won the 2024 Ontario Senior Men’s Championship in July. Miles McConnell, a Canadian who now resides in Tampa, Fla. who has enjoyed a successful season having won the 2024 Gate Senior Invitational back in January and followed it up with three runner-up finishes and a third-place finish in tournaments throughout the season. Accomplished Australian golfer, Ken Brewer of Newcastle, Australia will also be heading to Saugeen Shores.
“We are very excited to welcome an incredible and talented field of golfers set to compete for our Canadian Men’s Senior Championship this week at Saugeen Golf Club,” said Daniel Suppa, Tournament Director, Golf Canada. “The staff, volunteers, host committee along with the entire community have really gone to great lengths to ensure that those competing for our national championship are given an experience they won’t soon forget at Saugeen.”
Founded in 1925 by a group of local visionaries, Saugeen Golf Club stands as a testament to their vision and community spirit. Recognizing the growing popularity of golf, they established a premier golfing destination in Port Elgin and Southampton. Hiring renowned golf architect Stanley Thompson, they crafted the initial nine holes now known as Legacy with meticulous attention to detail, setting the stage for a Legacy of excellence.
Expanding their vision over the decades, first with the addition of the Sunset nine in 1956 and the Sunrise nine in 1996 solidified their reputation for exceptional golf and camaraderie for players of all levels. Next year, Saugeen Golf Club will celebrate its centennial anniversary as it celebrates the enduring legacy of their founders and guide their team into the next century with pride and a reverence for the past.
“Saugeen Golf Club is extremely proud to be hosting this prestigious national championship. The process began four long years ago, and we cannot be more exhilarated to display what our golf club and community has to offer,” said Brad Young, General Manager and COO, Saugeen Golf Club. “With playing conditions that rival any in our country, to the 200 plus volunteers that are donating their time, we’re confident that this weeklong event will set the precedence of national championships for years to come”
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.
A trio of Canadian Golf Hall of Famers lead the way having won the most Canadian Men’s Senior Championships in tournament history including, Bob Wylie of Calgary, Alta. with seven (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1995). Nick Weslock of Oakville, Ont. with six (1973, 1974, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983) and Graham Cooke of Hudson, Que. with four (2001, 2002, 2008 and 2009).
Prior to the start of the national championship, there will be a one-day qualifier on Tuesday, September 10 at Saugeen Golf Club where a field of 56 golfers will be playing for six spots in the tournament. Practice rounds are scheduled for Wednesday, September 11, and the tournament gets underway on Thursday, September 12.
The champion will receive an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Biltmore Forest Country Club in Asheville, N.C.
For the full player field competing in the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.