Shaw Charity Classic —Country music concert, nine-hole Celebrity Shootout including Mike Vernon, Grant Fuhr, Cassie Campbell-Pascall and Kerrin Lee-Gartner, Grey Cup appearance, interactive activities enhance Kids’ Day, August 31—

CALGARY—Canadian country music star, Chad Brownlee, will cap off “Super Saturday at the Shaw Charity Classic” with an unforgettable concert experience on the 10th fairway at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club, August 31.

The live concert, which will take place immediately following the second round of play on Saturday, will headline a lineup of activities that includes a nine-hole Celebrity Shootout, appearances by the Grey Cup, photo opportunities with Calgary’s favourite mascots and a wide range of family activities in the HSBC Fan Experience Area for TD Kids’ Day. All ticketed spectators to the second round of the Shaw Charity Classic will have access to the day’s festivities.

“We are committed to not only ensuring golf fans in Calgary have the opportunity to watch many of the best names in the game, but also to continue working to find innovative ways to introduce more people to our event, while delivering a memorable experience for all ages to enjoy,” said Sean Van Kesteren, executive director, Shaw Charity Classic. “Super Saturday promises to take our annual Kids’ Day tradition to a new level of excitement while bringing sport fans, music lovers and families together with the stars of the PGA TOUR Champions for an entertaining series of events that has something for everyone.”

With a deep portfolio of 20 radio singles and over 30-million global streams at the time, award-winning country star Chad Brownlee was no stranger to the country music scene in 2017 when he decided to hit the reset button on his career and find a fresh start. He chose to sign with Canada’s leading music label, Universal Music Canada, and the new powerhouse country management team at Starseed Entertainment.

The June 2019 release of his debut major label EP, Back In The Game, included previously released singles, “Dear Drunk Me” (2018), which was his first ever Top 5 single on the Canadian Country music charts, and “Forever’s Gotta Start Somewhere” (2019), which hit #1 on the Canadian Country music charts, and is his first single to amass more than 10-million global streams. This single is also the most streamed Canadian country song in 2019 by a solo male artist and was featured on Spotify’s “Hot Country” (world’s largest country playlist) – only the second domestically-signed Canadian artist ever to have that honour. His current single “The Way You Roll” is an immediate add to your summer playlist, and has become a fan favourite. In a season of fresh starts, Chad Brownlee’s aptly-titled EP, Back in the Game, will make you laugh, make you cry, and leave you wistful and excited for what’s to come.

“In addition to music, I have a deep passion for everything the Shaw Charity Classic represents: sport, philanthropy and community,” said Brownlee, who holds an annual charity golf tournament of his own in British Columbia. “I am very honoured to have the opportunity to perform in front of the enthusiastic golf and music fans in Calgary, and most importantly, contribute to making a positive impact on Alberta youth. This is going to be a whole lot of fun.”

Brownlee will be introduced on stage by 12 stars of Alberta sport who will compete for $40,000 in prize money – each representing one of the 200 charities participating in the Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink – during  the inaugural Shaw Charity Classic Celebrity Shootout which will begin 15 minutes after the leaders make the turn on Saturday (approximately 2:15 p.m).

This is the first time the unique exhibition “horse race” format will ever be held during a PGA TOUR Champions event. Two groups of six celebrities will start by teeing off the 10th tee box for the nine-hole event with the highest score after each of the nine holes eliminated. (Two players will be eliminated after each of the first two holes).

The two groups will form into one large group of eight on the third hole. Players will be dropped from the competition until there are two players remaining on the final hole, with the winner declared on the 18th green.

The Battle of Alberta will be in full swing during the Shootout on the links as two of the NHL’s top goalies of the 1980s – Mike Vernon and Grant Fuhr – will be amongst 12 athletes teeing it up that will also include other NHL and CFL greats, along with some of the nation’s most-accomplished Olympians. Cassie Campbell-Pascall (Women’s Hockey) and Kerrin Lee-Gartner (Alpine Skiing) are early names committed to the battle on the back nine of Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club.

The complete lineup of players will be released shortly.

Each participant will be provided with $1,000 CDN for a charity of his/her choice associated with the Shaw Charity Classic. Charity prize money will also be distributed to the top-three finishers: $15,000 (first place); $7,000 (second place); $5,000 (third place). The award presentation will take place on stage prior to the Chad Brownlee concert.

“The Shaw Charity Classic is such a fantastic community event, and since it has been in Calgary, I have planned my summer schedule around it! Playing in last years Pro Am with Miquel Angel Jimenez was an amazing experience I won’t forget, but I have also enjoyed participating in Women’s Day and watching the action as a volunteer spotter. So much money has been raised over the years for youth in Alberta and every year there are new exciting events, like this years unique Shootout!” said Olympic alpine ski champion Kerrin Lee-Gartner, a passionate golfer herself, who won the 2017 Calgary Ladies Golf Association’s Senior Amateur.

“Watching the brilliance of professional golf by the world’s best is incredible and I am in awe of the player-caddy decision making when they are under such pressure; and playing Canyon Meadows Golf course is always such a treat! But I had better get practicing because teeing it up this time will be an even bigger honour; playing behind some of my heroes in the sport while going head-to-head with so many of Alberta’s greatest athletes who I have tremendous respect for – all playing a game we love with two goals in mind – to have fun with the community we call home, and raise important funds for thousands of Alberta kids.”

Each of the athletes will also make a short autograph appearance in the HGS KidZone at 12:30 p.m. prior to play as part of the TD Kids’ Day activities that will feature visits from local mascots including: Buddy the Beaver – official mascot of the 107th Grey Cup; the Grey Cup presented by Shaw; interactive sport exhibits; bouncy castles, arts and craft stations; scavenger hunts; carnival games; and giveaways.

Fans planning on attending the 2019 Shaw Charity Classic can take advantage of discounted tickets until August 28th.  Join us Saturday, August 31 for Kids’ Day and enjoy a range of fun activities dedicated to the junior spectators! Corporate hosting packages for the Shaw Charity Classic are also available online at shawcharityclassic.com.

About the Shaw Charity Classic

The Shaw Charity Classic will host some of the greatest names in the game of golf in Calgary at the Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club, August 28 – September 1, 2019. The field, which will consist of 78 stars on the PGA TOUR Champions, will compete for US $2.35 million in a three-round, 54-hole stroke-play tournament. The winner will receive US $352,500. The annual PGA TOUR Champions stop in Canada showcases Calgary to the world through its broadcast on the Golf Channel. Led by a philanthropic Patron Group including Tournament Chairman – Jim Riddell, Allan Markin, Keith MacPhail, Guy Turcotte, Gary Peddle, Mike Culbert and PGA Tour Professional – Stephen Ames, along with title sponsor, Shaw Communications, the Shaw Charity Classic won the prestigious President’s Award as the top event on the PGA TOUR Champions in 2017, 2015 and 2014. The Tournament has raised more than $34 million in its first six years, with a PGA TOUR Champions record-setting donation of $12,357,863 raised in 2018 that was distributed amongst 182 youth-based charities in Alberta. For more information on the event, please visit www.shawcharityclassic.com. Follow the Shaw Charity Classic at facebook.com/shawcharityclassic and on Twitter @shawclassic.

 

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:                               

Chris Dornan                                      

Shaw Charity Classic              

T: 403-620-8731