Some of North America’s best golfers are in Kelowna this week

Some of the country’s best golfers, and a number from abroad, are at Gallagher’s Canyon in Kelowna this week for the annual Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada GolfBC Championship.

156 players are not only hoping to claim the title come Sunday, but to also earn points toward qualification to the Korn Ferry Tour on the way to the [US] PGA Tour itself.

This event is also about giving back.

“It’s really something we’re really proud of. It’s been a great initiative over the six years we’ve done it to date. We’ve raised $675,000 for charity,” Gallagher Canyon general manager Peter Hopley told Kelowna10.

The B.C. Cancer Foundation will receive half a million dollars, Hopley added. Other recipients include the Kelowna Red Cross and local Food Banks.

Last year, due to the pandemic, the tournament was a Canadian only competition. Now with international players returning, the club house has a flag hoisted for each country that a player represents. These include the U.S., Mexico, Australia, France, China, and Hong Kong, among others.

Spectators are welcome to come watch the competition free of charge. Hopley said the 225-acre property can hold about 6,000 to 10,000 people, depending on the weather.

Headlining the action is returning champ American Jake Knapp, 28, who won the tournament in 2019 and began his professional career here in 2016. He’s currently second on the points list behind Canadian Wil Bateman.

“I always love coming here,” Knapp said. “The city is great; the golf course is great and also the community does a good job of getting behind the event too, so it makes it a lot of fun.”

Knapp is coming off an impressive win from last week, the CRMC Championship at Cragun’s in Minnesota.

Knapp, who has played on the Korn Ferry Tour hopes to earn another chance at it.

While some golfers may find the tree lined courses extra challenging at Gallagher’s Canyon, Knapp enjoys the test of playing on a course that can be more penalizing.

For another player, this is his introduction to one of the city’s finest layouts.

“Kelowna is a magnificent city and it’s my first time here and definitely not my last,” Etienne Papineau, from Quebec said.

The 25-year-old turned pro in January.

Papineau, like many of his peers, have high aspirations for not only this weekend but for the future.

“It’s definitely great to, as a Canadian, to play on the PGA Tour Canada,” he said. “The goal is to get on the [US] PGA Tour one day but playing on this course is just a great opportunity.”