Preparing Tomorrow’s Champions
Since 2006, the Vancouver Golf Tour (VGT) has been giving BC’s local professional and amateur golfers the opportunity to develop their tournament skills in a PGA Tour-like environment without the added costs of travelling. VGT is providing junior, amateur and professional golfers the opportunity to learn how to win locally and to build their confidence to play at the highest level possible, whether it be claiming their Amateur Division Title or moving on to play on Worldwide Major Tours. The mission statement of VGT since day one is ‘Preparing Tomorrow’s Champions’ to compete (and win) on ANY TOUR!
Adam Hadwin is a 3-time Vancouver Open Winner! (pictured with Dave Ebner of Johnston Meier Insurance)
VGT also offers local Amateurs a very unique opportunity to compete on the same stage as our top Professionals in a majority of their events. “Our tour is giving our young rising stars (juniors and amateurs) a chance to compete head-to-head against the best professionals in our province on a regular basis. “We are giving Canada’s young stars an opportunity to see how some of Canada’s top local professionals play the game and in many cases, play their way into a pro grouping on day 2 or 3 of our Major Series events, an invaluable experience for elite Junior and Amateur golfers” says VGT Commissioner Fraser Mulholland. “We are proud of the fact that some of Canada’s top local Juniors and Amateurs have used VGT as a platform to measure their play against some of Canada’s top Pros. This really instills confidence in their games when they can see where their scoring lies compared to some of our marquee pros who have played on worldwide golf stages as professionals”.
In 2014, VGT hit new heights with respect to achieving its mission statement’s goals when Alumni Adam Hadwin won two WEB.COM TOUR events and went on to win the WEB.COM TOUR money title, finally earning his place on the PGA TOUR. The momentum continued to flow for VGT when fellow Ledgeview Alumni Nick Taylor played his way into the WEB.COM playoffs with a final round 63 in the regular season. Then continued his superb play in the WEB.COM playoffs to secure one of only 25 PGA TOUR cards up for grabs! VGT would graduate 2 of its Alumni to the PGA TOUR in one year! Talk about a year! On the Mackenzie Tour PGA Tour Canada VGT Alumni have taken home a total of 11 Championships and on multiple occasions captured Canadian Player of the Year honors!
Nick Taylor - 2020 VGT Chilliwack Championship
Producing PGA TOUR Champions
Riding the momentum of his fine play at the tail end of the WEB.COM season and playoffs, Nick Taylor went onto be VGT’s first Alumni to win on the PGA TOUR at the Sanderson Farms Championship in November of 2014!! Fast forward into 2017 where Adam Hadwin became the 2nd VGT Alumni to win on the PGA Tour with a victory at the 2017 Valspar Championship. A total of 4 VGT Alumni grace the stage on the PGA Tour when both Roger Sloan and Adam Svensson earned their cards through the WEB.COM Tour. VGT continued to beam proudly when it was announced that 2 of its Alumni (Hadwin & Taylor) were chosen to represent Canada at the World Cup of Golf in 2018 where they finished an amazing 4th place in Melbourne, Australia. And just when we thought we had seen it all, Nick Taylor went on to secure his 2nd PGA TOUR win, defeating Phil Mickelson dramatically at the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. So proud guys!
Adam Hadwin - 2016 Vancouver Open
VGT Alumni on Major Tours in 2019
In 2019, a minimum of 14 VGT Alumni and players will compete on Worldwide Major Tours:
- PGA TOUR
- WEB.COM TOUR
- PGA TOUR CANADA
- PGA TOUR LATIN AMERICA
- SUNSHINE TOUR
- PGA TOUR CHINA
*Denotes Conditional Status
Player Recognition and Awards
Since 2006, the top ranked player on the VGT Order of Merit has been awarded a paid entry or cash award to compete at the PGA Tour Qualifying School. (now WEB.COM Q School). Since 2010 (thanks to our partners) four VGT awards have also been established; a $1,000 ‘Rookie of the Year’ Award , a $1,000 “Top Srixon Tour Player”, a $1,000 ‘Most Improved Player’ of the Year Award, a $5,000 Majors Prize Pool and over $7,500 in Amateur Year-end Prizes and Awards every year.
Over the past twelve years, VGT has paid out over $3 Million in pro money and amateur prizes. Our goal is to reach over $3.5 Million in payouts through the end of 2019 through the expansion of the VGT MAJORS SERIES events, giving players multiple-round golf events to prepare for MAJOR TOUR events in Canada and throughout the world.
Junior Golf Development
Since inception, VGT has made it a strong commitment to do its part to further Junior Golf development by organizing clinics for underprivileged juniors for young golfers of all ages and levels. VGT has formed a partnership with the FIRST TEE of Greater Vancouver and Junior Linksters whereby its top Tour Professionals will mentor junior golfers throughout the season at various FIRST TEE Greater Vancouver clinics and Junior Linkster’s Golf events.
Charity
VGT has also played a significant role in giving back to the community, working hand-in-hand with charity golf events, helping raise over $800,000 for charities (BC Alzheimer’s Society, Prostate Center at VGH, Hadassah Hospital, The FIRST TEE of Great Vancouver YMCA & Make A Wish Foundation) over the past twelve years. VGT has also personally raised over $50,000 for various charities in the same twelve years through initiatives at the Vancouver Open Charity Pro-am including Kids Up Front, the CKNW Orphan’s Fund and the First Tee Program of Greater Vancouver.
Membership & Event Growth
Vancouver Golf Tour has grown rapidly, expanding its database from 120 players in 2007 to over 1,700 full and part-time golfers participating in VGT events in 2018. The tour schedule has also developed significantly from 12 events in 2007 to over 50 events in 2019 that now includes Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter Tour schedules. The VGT has become widely recognized as Western Canada’s Premier Developmental Golf Tour.
