Manulife to sponsor LPGA event
Posted Jun 28, 2011 04:59:30 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Waterloo will play host to a professional golf event for the next three years.
Manulife Financial has come forward to sponsor the tournament, with the first scheduled for next June. The event will be played at Waterloo’s Grey Silo Golf Course with a purse of $1.3-million.
Brian Gooding, Senior Vice-president, Distribution in Manulife’s Canadian Division says there are parallels between the global nature of the LPGA and the global reach of Manulife. Moreover, he notes the spirit of volunteerism that is required to host a golf event.
“We’re confident that Waterloo Region will be eager to show its support in terms of volunteering,” Gooding says in an interview with 570 News. “And that’s a cause that’s near and dear to Manulife. Our signature cause is volunteerism across Canada, trying to get people out ‘one hour at a time’ to make this country a better place.”
Gooding was with LPGA tour officials as they played Grey Silo yesterday. He says they were impressed with the course layout and feel it will provide a good challenge for tour pros. Work will now commence on perfecting the course, its traps and its set-up to ensure it meets the standards of an LPGA event.
Manulife also looks forward to the added attention the tournament brings to the Region of Waterloo.
“There are a lot of world class companies in the region,” Gooding boasts. “There will certainly be a strong economic benefit to this region and across Canada as more attention is paid (to the country) and future sites (for tour events) are sought out.”
The inaugural Manulife Financial LPGA Classic will be held June 18-24, 2012.
