Canadian Open Questions Too Late

Hello. Just read ScoreGolf's article about the Canadian Open, asking if it could be saved. For those that don't know, here's what the Canadian Open is facing this year:

1. No title sponsor
2. No Canadian-specific broadcast (TSN will not be doing their usual Canadian features)
3. New date, now the week after the British Open
4. A new bill from CBS for US broadcast rights of $2 million US
5. A new course, Angus Glen North, redesigned by Davis Love III
6. The President's Cup in Montreal in September taking many smaller sponsors away

The key thing to remember though is that while many of these issues have just appeared, the Canadian Open has been on the decline for a long time. However, like the Toronto Maple Leafs, the event has always sold out in spite of a weak on-course product. If this event were as strong as last week's Wachovia Championship, or this week's Players Championship, the list above would be a hiccup instead of a nail in the coffin.

Tomorrow I'll go over what else has put the Canadian Open in this bad position.

Regards,

Steve