Jim Rutledge Seeks Sixth PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada Title

Canadian golf legend Jim Rutledge looks to win his sixth PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada this week at the venerable Beverly Golf and Country Club in Copetown, Ont.

Rutledge’s past Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada victories came last year at Burlington Golf and Country; 2015 at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club; 2013 at Lookout Point Country Club; 2012 at Emerald Hills Golf Club; and 2010 at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club. He’s also a former winner on the Web.com Tour, has six Mackenzie-PGA TOUR Canada titles and is a former PGA Championship of Canada winner.

Chasing his sixth win, he now only trails golf legend Moe Norman for most PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada titles. Norman has eight titles, with seven coming in consecutive years.

“I’d love to win a few more and it excites me to think about it,” Rutledge said about the prospects of winning more titles. “Moe Norman is a legend and by no means do I put myself in the same category as him, but I’ll chase him if the opportunity comes along.”

However, Rutledge faces an impressive cast of players teeing it up this year at Beverly. The field features:

• Past PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada winners Ken Tarling, Gar Hamilton Bob Panasik and Claude Grenier
• The PGA of Canada’s No. 6-ranked player and past PGA Championship of Canada and PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada winner Danny King
• Past PGA of Canada national championship winners Ian Doig, Marc Girouard, Phil Jonas, Benoit Boudreau, Kevin Dugas and Serge Thivierge

For the full field and first-round tee times, CLICK HERE.

The 54-hole national championship takes place Aug. 7-10 at the classically designed Robbie Robinson gem that is often referred to as one of the best secrets in Canadian golf.

“The PGA of Canada is thrilled about returning to the fabulous Beverly Golf & Country Club for our PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada,” said PGA of Canada president Mark Patterson. “We were last at Beverly in 2014 and it was a tremendous championship, so we’re expecting much of the same this year.”

Back in 2014, a recently turned 50-year-old Remi Bouchard outduelled Tarling and Jean Laforce en-route to his dramatic playoff victory.

The original Robbie Robinson design was updated in 1999 by world-renowned golf architect Doug Carrick, modernizing the course while maintaining the challenging parkland layout. Beverly is recognized as one of the finest courses in Ontario and has hosted a variety of professional and amateur championships.

“We are both honoured and excited to host the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada here at Beverly Golf & Country Club,” said Mark Cunningham, Beverly’s general manager & director of golf. “We’re confident our challenging layout and tough greens will offer this year’s competitors a good test and result in a worthy champion.”

Admittance to the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada is free and spectators are encouraged to attend the 54-hole championship.

The PGA Seniors' Championship of Canada was first played in 1938 as a division of the Canadian PGA Championship. In 1973, the championship became an independent event and has stayed that way since.

Among the Canadian golf legends to win the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada are Stan Leonard, Moe Norman—who won a record seven straight years from 1979-1985—Bob Panasik, Al Balding—who wowed the golf world by winning at age 76 in 2000—Jim Rutledge, Ray Stewart, Dave Barr, Bob Panasik, Murray Tucker, Bill Kozak, Gar Hamilton and Remi Bouchard who won at Beverly in 2014.

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