PGA of Canada Members Set to Compete at the Senior Open Championship

PGA of Canada Members Set to Compete at the Senior Open Championship

Four PGA of Canada members are set to tee it up this week at the Senior Open Championship. 

The National Golf Club of Canada’s Keir Smith, Phil Jonas of Hazelmere Country Club, Ken Tarling of the Ken Tarling Golf Academy and Rod Spittle will compete for the major championship this week at Royal Birkdale in England.

Two-time Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada presented by Adams Golf winner Jim Rutledge of Victoria is also in the field.

"It is a true links course and very tight with fairway bunkers all over the place,” Tarling said about Royal Birkdale in a PGA of Ontario press release. “I counted 146 bunkers on Google Earth and that includes one par-3 hole with no bunkers and another par-3 hole with only one bunker.”

Both Tarling and Smith earned spots in the championship by Monday qualifying. As full-time Champions Tour players, Spittle and Rutledge were exempt, while Jonas’ status on the European Senior Tour afforded him a spot in the field.

Smith, Tarling, Spittle and Rutledge are all in next month’s Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada presented by Adams Golf at Lookout Point Country Club in Fonthill, Ont.