Shaw Charity Classic –

—Early bird tickets available at discounted prices until June 30—

CALGARY—Defending champion, Scott McCarron, is first to add his name to the tee sheet for the 2018 Shaw Charity Classic slated for Calgary’s Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club, August 27 – September 2, 2018.

McCarron donned the traditional white Smithbilt Cowboy Hat presented each year to the champion of the award-winning PGA TOUR Champions event after holding off Miguel Angel Jimenez for a one-shot victory. 

“That cowboy hat was new for me. I do have a couple pairs of cowboy boots. My wife is a cowgirl. She is a reining and cutting horse rider so we love this part of the world, and I think that connection made winning the Shaw Charity Classic last year extra special,” said McCarron, who claims he is half-Canadian given his mother is from Kaslo, British Columbia.

If that’s not enough, it was on Canadian fairways where it all began for the six-time PGA TOUR Champions winner

“Canada has always had a special place in my heart. I came up here when I first turned professional and played the Canadian Tour for an entire year. It was the first organized tour I played, and I had so much fun just travelling from Victoria all the way to Prince Edward Island, just driving my car and staying in hotels and trying to learn this game of golf at the professional level. So, Canada was the place I kind of got my start and I’m so happy to be back here to win this tournament.”

McCarron and his wife, Jenny, are sure to embrace Calgary’s cowboy culture by hopping on a horse or two before he sets out to try and successfully defend his title this summer.

“When I came on Tour a few years ago everyone told me that I was going to love coming up to Calgary – the old-style golf course, the incredible fan support and the impressive amount of money the tournament raises for charity. They were right. We just love it up here. This is a tournament I would never miss,” he said.

One of the top players in senior professional golf last year, the 2017 Shaw Charity Classic title was the fourth victory of the season for McCarron who finished third on the Charles Schwab Cup rankings. His breakthrough season on the senior swing included 14 top-10 finishes highlighted by his first major title on the PGA TOUR Champions – the Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS Championship. As a result, McCarron was the lone player over 50 years old to receive an invite to the 2018 Players Championship two weeks ago.

“I won some of those tournaments last year by doing some heroic things, but I got into those positions because I was patient. I missed a couple of short putts down the stretch in Calgary, but I was able to keep my head held high. I just kept breathing and plugging away, and was really happy to get the job done,” said McCarron, who also has three victories on the PGA TOUR. 

“Winning does not get easier out here. These guys were the best players in the world at their time, and they’re still playing some great golf. They go low every single week. These are Hall of Famers that we are playing against. Every guy that tees it up is still playing great golf now. I think winning has gotten a lot tougher out here over the last couple of years with the quality of play.”

McCarron is sure to have his hands full when he arrives to Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club at the end of August. Tournament officials are once again focused on assembling one of the strongest fields on Tour.

“Scott and Jenny certainly have a passion for golf, horses and the mountain culture that is famous in Western Canada, so he has been a great champion for us,” said Sean Van Kesteren, executive director, Shaw Charity Classic. “We are committed to ensuring golf fans in Calgary will have the opportunity to watch another world-class field this summer. We look forward to rolling those names out in the coming weeks, but I can’t think of a better person to welcome back to Calgary first than one of the top competitors on Tour right now in Scott McCarron.”

Golf fans planning to attend the 2018 Shaw Charity Classic have the opportunity to take advantage of discounted Early Bird Tickets until June 30. Corporate packages for the Shaw Charity Classic are available online at www.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 27 – September 2, 2018. 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 – Clay Riddell, Allan Markin, Keith MacPhail, Jim Riddell, Guy Turcotte, Gary Peddle, Mike Culbert and PGA Tour Professional – Stephen Ames, along with title sponsor, Shaw Communications Inc, 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 $22.1 million in its first five years, with a PGA TOUR Champions record setting donation of $8,391,413 raised in 2017 that was distributed amongst 159 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 More Information:                                              

Chris Dornan                                         

Shaw Charity Classic                 

T: 403-620-8731