Multi-year deal will deliver a premium tequila hospitality experience to the RBC Canadian Open through 2024

(November 22, 2021) Golf Canada and Maestro Dobel® Tequila announced today a multi-year partnership that will see Maestro Dobel featured as the Official Tequila of the RBC Canadian Open.

Maestro Dobel will become Golf Canada’s first-ever exclusive tequila partner for the RBC Canadian Open. As part of the integrated partnership—which begins in 2022 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club and runs through 2024— Maestro Dobel will be poured at RBC Canadian Open hospitality and concession locations with sampling opportunities and fan engagement activations planned around Canada’s lone stop on the PGA TOUR.

“We are thrilled to welcome Maestro Dobel as Golf Canada’s first-ever Official Tequila Partner for the RBC Canadian Open,” said John Sibley, chief commercial officer of Golf Canada. “Maestro Dobel’s mastery blend and craftsmanship in their award-winning tequila will deliver a premium product for spectators and hospitality guests to enjoy at the RBC Canadian Open.”

Founded by 11^th generation tequila maker Juan Dobel, Maestro Dobel is known for consistently pushing the category forward, blending tradition and innovation to craft its award-winning tequilas. Since March 2021, Maestro Dobel has served as the official Tequila of the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour, activating at select tournaments across the United States.

“We are excited to embark on this new journey with Golf Canada and the RBC Canadian Open,” said Peter Hottmann, General Manager at Proximo Spirits Canada. “The RBC Canadian Open has become a premier event on the PGA TOUR and we are proud to be aligning our award-wining tequilas with excellence in Canadian golf.”

The 2022 RBC Canadian Open will be held June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto with nearby Islington Golf Club hosting the championship’s practice facility. 

Golf Canada and Ace Beverage Group announced today a multi-year integrated partnership that will see Ace Beverage Group become the official ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage partner for the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open.

Through the partnership, Ace Beverage Group will offer a selection of their RTD beverages, including the highly popular Cottage Springs brand, at Golf Canada’s two National Open Golf Championships beginning in 2022. The Canadian-based Cottage Springs brand will become the new sponsor of the spectator grandstand at the RBC Canadian Open’s famous “Rink Hole”. Spectators at the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open will also enjoy a range of Ace Beverage Group products at the Fare Way food and beverage experience as well as sampling within the fan village.

“We are very proud to partner with Ace Beverage Group to deliver their premium portfolio of ready-to-drink beverages to the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open” said John Sibley, chief commercial officer of Golf Canada. “This partnership across our two flagship properties provides a tremendous opportunity for Golf Canada to align with a leading brand in the RTD category and deliver a premium spectator and hospitality experience.”

Ace Beverage Group is a fast-growing and innovative beverage alcohol company based in Toronto. Ace Beverage Group holds market leadership positions across hard seltzer, craft beer and cider, and has a highly engaged consumer following around its brands. The company’s unique, premium portfolio features numerous popular brands, including Cottage Springs (the #2 hard seltzer brand in Canada), Ace Hill, Liberty Village and Cabana Coast. 

“The RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open are among the most exciting events in all of Canadian sports and we are extremely proud that event fans will have the opportunity to experience and enjoy our products,” said Mike Wagman, CEO of Ace Beverage Group. “We are thrilled to partner with Golf Canada to share our unique portfolio of beverages with spectators, and to continue to grow our brands among golf enthusiasts across the country.”The 2022 RBC Canadian Open will be held June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto, Ont., with the CP Women’s Open being contested August 22-28 at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont. 

TORONTO – Score Media and Gaming Inc. (TSX: SCR; Nasdaq: SCR) (“theScore” or “the Company”) announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Score Digital Sports Ventures (Canada) Inc. (“theScore Bet”), has entered into a multiyear agreement with Golf Canada to become its Official Gaming Partner. The exclusive partnership makes theScore Bet the first ever gaming partner for Golf Canada and its prestigious National Open Golf Championships – the CP Women’s Open and the RBC Canadian Open.

The partnership, which begins in 2022, provides theScore Bet with access to activate across Golf Canada’s high-profile events and large digital footprint. As an exclusive gaming partner of the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open, theScore Bet will be able to engage fans through a variety of on-site activations, including creating members club experiences for theScore Bet users, as well as digital activations through both tournaments and Golf Canada’s channels.

Bill C-218, which legalizes single event sports betting, was proclaimed to come into force on August 27, 2021, with regulated online iGaming and sports betting offerings from private operators expected to commence in Ontario later this year. Both the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open will be held in Ontario in 2022. The RBC Canadian Open is scheduled to be held in the Greater Toronto Area in 2023 and 2024.

“We are thrilled to welcome theScore Bet as Golf Canada’s first Official Gaming Partner,” said Golf Canada’s Chief Commercial Officer, John Sibley. “theScore brand is already synonymous with sports coverage in Canada and we’re enthusiastic about the opportunity to team up to help build awareness for theScore Bet. Through Golf Canada’s entertainment properties and channels, theScore Bet will have direct access to engage with our large membership of devout Canadian sports fans.”

“We are proud to be Golf Canada’s first ever gaming partner and align theScore Bet with their organization and Canada’s marquee professional men’s and women’s golf events,” said Aubrey Levy, Senior Vice President of Content and Marketing, theScore. “This partnership provides us with highly engaging access points to introduce theScore Bet to a broad and endemic audience of golf fans. With the RBC Canadian Open taking place in Ontario for all three years and the CP Women’s Open in the province for at least the coming year, it provides us an amazing foothold to interact with Canada’s passionate golf community around two of the most popular golf events in the country.”

The 2022 RBC Canadian Open will be held June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto with nearby Islington Golf Club hosting the championship’s practice facility. The 2022 CP Women’s Open takes place August 22-28 at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in Ottawa.

In March 2021, theScore Bet was named Official Betting Operator of the PGA TOUR across the United States and Canada, pending the enactment of enabling legislation and regulation, and receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals.

theScore Bet is an immersive and holistic mobile sports betting platform which includes a wide range of pre-game and in-play betting across all major sports leagues and events, and a comprehensive variety of bet types. When paired with theScore’s flagship mobile app, theScore Bet offers a deeply personalized user experience and uniquely integrated media and betting ecosystem.

The PGA TOUR and European Tour today unveiled new details around their Strategic Alliance, with the PGA TOUR also releasing its 2021-22 PGA TOUR Season schedule.

The landmark agreement, announced in November 2020, further enhances and connects the ecosystem of men’s professional golf through a number of areas, including global scheduling, prize funds and playing opportunities for the respective memberships.

In terms of scheduling, the most significant piece of collaboration is the fact that three tournaments will be co-sanctioned in 2022 and therefore count on both the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup and the European Tour’s Race to Dubai next season: the Barbasol Championship; the Barracuda Championship; and the Genesis Scottish Open.

The latter event also has a new title sponsor in Genesis, the luxury automotive brand from South Korea, who will now title sponsor two tournaments on the PGA TOUR, with the Genesis Scottish Open joining The Genesis Invitational, which Genesis has titled since 2017; The Genesis Invitational will once again be played at The Riviera Country Club next year (February 14-20).

The Genesis Scottish Open (July 4-10), which is part of the European Tour’s Rolex Series, retains its place in golf’s global calendar the week ahead of The Open Championship (July 11-17), a date confirmed through to 2025. The player field will be a split between members of both Tours.

The tournament will also benefit from the continued commitment of the Scottish Government, managed by Visit Scotland – the agreement also running through 2025.

“We are delighted to welcome Genesis as a title sponsor of a European Tour event for the first time,” said European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley. “Genesis has a strong history of sponsorship on the PGA TOUR through The Genesis Invitational, and their commitment to the Scottish Open will further enhance one of our premier events of the season.”

Although it will be on the PGA TOUR’s official schedule for the first time, the Genesis Scottish Open has a rich history on the European Tour, appearing in the Tour’s first two official seasons (1972 and 1973) and as part of the Tour’s International Schedule since 1986. It has also been part of the Rolex Series – the European Tour’s premium series of events – since the Series’ inception in 2017.

“Adding an existing, strong title sponsor in Genesis to our Strategic Alliance in the form of the Genesis Scottish Open – to be sanctioned by both Tours – is a significant step for the global game,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Coupled with their support of The Genesis Invitational at Riviera, we’re incredibly proud to forge a deeper relationship with this premier brand across the global game.”

Genesis will take over the title sponsorship of the event from abrdn, who are exploring ways for the decade-long partnership with the European Tour to continue moving forward. The venue for the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open will be confirmed at a later date.

“We are extremely excited to become title sponsor of the Scottish Open at this historic moment, as the PGA TOUR and European Tour announce details on their Strategic Alliance,” said Jay Chang, Global head of Genesis. “Genesis and golf share a culture centered on respect, mutual admiration and innovation. We will continue to strengthen our partnership with both Tours to deliver this spirit to golfers, communities and individuals around the world through successful tournaments.”

Paul Bush, Director of Events at VisitScotland, said, “We are thrilled the European Tour and PGA TOUR have identified the Genesis Scottish Open to further develop their Strategic Alliance, and there is no more fitting stage than Scotland, the Home of Golf, on which to embark on such a historic journey.”

In addition to the Genesis Scottish Open being co-sanctioned, there will also be access for 50 European Tour members to each of two PGA TOUR events in 2022 for the first time – the Barbasol Championship, which will be played concurrently with the Genesis Scottish Open, and the Barracuda Championship, which will be played alongside the following week’s 150^th Open Championship at St. Andrews. Both events will be added to the Race to Dubai for European Tour members.

It was also confirmed today that as part of the Strategic Alliance and collaboration between the two Tours, the Irish Open will see a significant increase in prize money for its annual European Tour event – to $6 million, starting in 2022 – nearly double the amount on offer at Mount Juliet last month. In addition, the PGA TOUR will continue to work with the European Tour on commercial opportunities across the Tour.

“When we announced the Strategic Alliance at the end of last year, we said it was a landmark moment for global golf’s ecosystem that would benefit all members of both Tours,” said Pelley. “Today’s announcement underlines that promise, with further enhancements to the Genesis Scottish Open, a strengthening of the Irish Open for our members, and direct access for European Tour members to two PGA TOUR events.

“There has been considerable collaboration behind the scenes between our two Tours since November’s Alliance was unveiled, and we are delighted to share these initial developments, which demonstrate our commitment to working together for the betterment of our sport globally.  We will have more to announce in the coming months – this is most definitely just the beginning.”

“With today’s news, I am pleased to say that the PGA TOUR and the European Tour are both stronger than at any time in our history, as we are positioned to grow – together – over the next 10 years faster than we have at any point in our existence,” said Monahan. “We are committed to continuing to evolve and adapt, and with our ever-strengthening partnership with the European Tour, to take the global game to the heights we all know it is capable of.”

PGA TOUR SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

The 2021-22 PGA TOUR Schedule includes several significant enhancements and features a total of 48 official events – 45 during the FedExCup Regular Season along with three 2022 FedExCup Playoffs events.

The 2022 portion of the schedule will kick off the PGA TOUR’s new, nine-year domestic media rights agreements with ViacomCBS, Comcast/NBC and ESPN. As part of the agreement, all three 2022 FedExCup Playoffs events will be broadcast domestically on NBC network television, beginning a rotation that continues with CBS hosting all three events in 2023.

Headline news includes the change in location and venue for the kickoff of the FedExCup Playoffs to TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, starting in 2022, replacing the Regular Season event that has been held in Memphis since 1958. FedEx will serve as the title sponsor of the event, to be known as the FedEx St. Jude Championship (August 8-14), replacing existing title sponsor Northern Trust after this year’s playing of THE NORTHERN TRUST at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey.

“FedEx is excited that the first event of the 2022 FedExCup Playoffs will be hosted in our hometown of Memphis, Tennessee,” said Raj Subramaniam, President and Chief Operating Officer of FedEx Corporation. “We are proud of our history and the community impact we’ve had since becoming title sponsor of our hometown TOUR stop in 1986. We look forward to the impact it will bring to our local community and will continue to use it as a platform to showcase the groundbreaking work being done by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to golf fans around the world.”

“Since the inception of the FedExCup in 2007, we have made a number of changes to enhance the quality of the FedExCup Playoffs for our players, fans and partners,” said Monahan. “Thanks to the continued support from FedEx as the TOUR’s umbrella partner, we’re proud to bring the start of the FedExCup to Memphis and a course loved by our players. Not only will it be a great test worthy of Playoff golf, but we also anticipate tremendous enthusiasm from a community that has steadfastly supported the PGA TOUR for more than 60 years. And, of course, the important work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will continue to be front and center.

“In totality, the 2021-22 PGA TOUR Schedule, combined with the momentum we have with our now-entrenched partnership with the European Tour, puts the PGA TOUR in a position of strength within professional golf like never before. We’re confident this schedule will give the world’s best players the opportunity to do what they do best – inspire and entertain our fans around the globe while helping our tournaments make a significant impact in their respective communities.”

The 2022 FedExCup Playoffs will continue to include the BMW Championship (August 15-21), which rotates next year to Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware, and the FedExCup Playoffs finale, the TOUR Championship (August 22-28), once again slated for East Lake Golf Club.

The PGA TOUR’s flagship event, THE PLAYERS Championship (March 7-13), will anchor a true Florida Swing in 2022, which features four consecutive events through The Sunshine State in the spring, including the Valspar Championship, which was played in April/May this past year. THE PLAYERS will be in year three of its March date and as a kickoff to the Season of Championships, with Justin Thomas returning as defending champion.

The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (May 30-June 5) enters the first year of a 10-year agreement in 2022 with new presenting sponsor, Workday. Founded in 1976 by golf legend Jack Nicklaus and held annually at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, the tournament partners for the first time with three-time NBA champion and two-time MVP Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, and Ayesha Curry, an entrepreneur, host and New York Times bestselling author.

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the RBC Canadian Open (June 6-12) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, returns to the schedule in 2022 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club. Rory McIlroy won the last RBC Canadian Open, played in 2019.

Other notable items and changes to the 2021-22 PGA TOUR Schedule include (in chronological order):

2021

• As previously announced, the Fortinet Championship (September 13-19), with new title sponsor Fortinet, kicks off the 2021-22 FedExCup Regular Season at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, California.
• The Ryder Cup will be played the week following the Fortinet Championship, with nine official events played during the balance of 2021 for a total of 10 events to be played in the fall.
• The reconfigured Asia Swing will begin with THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT (October 11-17), which moves to the United States for the second year in a row and will be staged at The Summit Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, delivering back-to-back weeks of PGA TOUR golf in Las Vegas, as the Shriners Children’s Open will be contested October 4-10.
• Following THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT will be the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP and World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, with additional details to be available in the near future.
• As previously announced, World Wide Technology embarks on its first year of title sponsorship of the TOUR’s original event in Mexico, the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba (November 1-7).

2022

• The Sentry Tournament of Champions – a PGA TOUR winners-only event – leads off the 2022 calendar year (January 3-9).
• The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (January 31-February 6) and the Waste Management Phoenix Open (February 7-13) trade spots in the schedule, as the TOUR’s event at TPC Scottsdale remains in its traditional date of Super Bowl week.
• The Puerto Rico Open (February 28-March 6) will be played as an additional event alongside the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard.
• The Corales Puntacana Championship (March 21-27), in its first year under an extended term, will be played as an additional event alongside the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play.
• The Mexico Championship (April 25-May 1) returns to the calendar as a PGA TOUR co-sponsored event, no longer under the World Golf Championships umbrella. With the field of 132 players, there is an anticipation of additional Mexican golfers in the field to help in inspire and grow the game in one of golf’s key emerging markets.
• With the biennial Presidents Cup being held at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte in 2022, the Wells Fargo Championship (May 2-8) will be contested for one year at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm in Potomac, Maryland.
• The John Deere Classic (June 27-July 3), traditionally played the week prior to The Open Championship, moves one week earlier.
• Following The Open Championship, the 3M Open (July 18-24), Rocket Mortgage Classic (July 25-31) and Wyndham Championship (August 1-7) close out the FedExCup Regular Season.

The European Tour will announce the initial portion of its 2022 schedule later this month, with the full season announcement to follow in due course.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA AND TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA – Due to logistical challenges related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the PGA TOUR, title sponsor Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and Golf Canada announced today that the 2021 RBC Canadian Open, scheduled for June 7-13 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Etobicoke, Ontario, has been cancelled.

“Even with an extensive health and safety plan in place, we faced a number of significant logistical challenges that led us to this decision,” said PGA TOUR President Tyler Dennis. “While we are disappointed to cancel Canada’s National Championship, we are thankful to our partners RBC and Golf Canada – along with our Canadian fans — for their unwavering support and cooperation throughout this process. We look forward to the RBC Canadian Open returning to our schedule next year.”

The RBC Canadian Open had put together a comprehensive health operation protocol with consultation and direction from local, provincial, and federal government and health officials, and was working together with a multitude of partners to navigate the impact of the travel restrictions and quarantine measures currently in effect, given the number of stakeholders required to cross the border for the week of the event. A decision timeline was also established to allow the PGA TOUR a sufficient window to fill the event date.

Tournament organizers will now redirect efforts to the return of the RBC Canadian Open to the PGA TOUR schedule in 2022.

“Together with RBC and the PGA TOUR, we set a decision timeline based on the most up to date travel and quarantine restrictions in effect along with consideration for the TOUR’s ability to pivot and successfully fill a significant date on the schedule,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “It was also important to be respectful partners to the health leaders and government officials who have helped inform our operation protocols and provided great direction on this journey. The timing simply did not align for us and we are deeply disappointed that the celebrated return of the RBC Canadian Open will have to wait another year.”

Since assuming sponsorship of Canada’s National Golf Championship in 2008 and the RBC Heritage in 2012, RBC continues to be a strong advocate for the game, supporting PGA TOUR and LPGA players through Team RBC, and funding youth and amateur golf initiatives in Canada through the Golf Canada Foundation.

“We share in the disappointment with our RBC Canadian Open community over the cancellation of this year’s tournament,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “Persistent challenges and health and safety considerations resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, including international travel restrictions, quarantine measures and government mandates, presented significant logistical challenges for this year’s tournament. We are immensely proud to be title sponsor of Canada’s National Open Championship, and to promote this great sport. We are more excited than ever to return in 2022 and bring this world-class event to new and existing Canadian golf fans.”

Established in 1904, the RBC Canadian Open — the third-oldest national championship in golf behind The Open Championship and the United States Open — had been previously conducted every year since 1904, with the exception of wartime cancellations from 1915-18 and 1943-44, and as the result of complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The RBC Canadian Open was last played in June 2019 at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Ontario, with Rory McIlroy winning in his debut appearance.

To fill the week left open on the calendar, the PGA TOUR will secure an alternative venue in the United States to host an official FedExCup event for one year only. Details on the replacement event are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

TORONTO – Golf Canada and title sponsor RBC have confirmed that the membership of St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto has agreed to host the 2021 RBC Canadian Open, with nearby Islington Golf Club housing the official practice facility for the tournament.

The two facilities were scheduled to host the 2020 RBC Canadian Open this week (June 8-14), prior to the event being cancelled because of international travel and government restrictions related to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The 2021 RBC Canadian Open will be held June 7-13.

“Together with our partners at RBC and the PGA TOUR, we are very pleased with the overwhelming support by the members of St. George’s Golf and Country Club to host the RBC Canadian Open in 2021,” said Golf Canada CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “The cancelation of our 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic was disappointing and there is now a great enthusiasm as we pivot our full efforts alongside our partners and team of volunteers to making 2021 a great success. I want to thank the membership and the board of directors at both St. George’s and Islington for continuing in this journey towards what will be a truly special edition of the RBC Canadian Open.”

“We are thrilled to host the 2021 RBC Canadian Open at St. George’s Golf and Country Club,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “As one of the top five golf courses in Canada, and one of the top 30 in the world, St. George’s is not only an incredible golf course but a world-class venue. Building off of last year’s momentum, we look forward to working together with our partners at Golf Canada and the PGA TOUR to make next year’s event one to remember.”

St. George’s Golf and Country Club has previously hosted the RBC Canadian Open on five occasions, dating as far back as 1933 and most recently in 2010.

Part of the FedExCup and conducted by Golf Canada for more than a century, the RBC Canadian Open provides an opportunity for Canada’s top talents to compete against the world’s best golfers while also leaving a significant impact in the event’s host community. The RBC Canadian Open is proud to support the Golf Canada Foundation as the event’s official charity partner. Established in 1904, Canada’s national open golf championship is the third-oldest national open golf championship worldwide next to the British Open and the U.S. Open. The RBC Canadian Open is proudly sponsored by RBC, Audi, Acushnet, Steam Whistle, Hilton, Levelwear, Coca-Cola and the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada.