Canadian Tour appears ready for Thunder Bay

It’s starting to look more and more like the Canadian Tour will make a return to Thunder Bay in 2011.

And it could be bringing an international television crew to film the action.

The feeder circuit to the PGA is expected to release its official schedule on Jan. 16, and tbnewswatch.com has learned that the Alan Thomas Sumner Whitewater Open could be among the Canadian dates.

The commitment is believed to be for three years.

“The Canadian Tour is very excited about coming to Thunder Bay. I have toured the Whitewater Golf Club and believe it will be one of the best courses we play all year,” Canadian Tour commissioner Richard Janes is quoted as saying on the Golfing News website.

Tournament host Silvio DeGregorio, who helped found Whitewater Golf Course, said it’s one more way for the city to showcase itself.

“The Alan Thomas Sumner Whitewater Open would assist in promoting our community to the world. It would certainly bring people here that have never been here before and hopefully enjoy the hospitality that both Thunder Bay and Whitewater will provide for them. Hopefully they will come back and visit both Thunder Bay and Whitewater and all the other tourism attractions,” DiGregorio said.

Four members of last year’s Canadian Tour graduated to the PGA tour in 2011. Past alumni include Steve Stricker, Tim Clark and 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir.

Tour officials phoned local media on Monday looking for contact information, but would not confirm whether or not Thunder Bay had been added to the schedule.