18 Oakville Beaver Weekend Sunday, December 10, 2000 Sports An O akville B eaver F eatu re Editor: NORM NELSON Phone:845-3824, ext 255 Fax:337-5567 E-mail:nnelson@haltonsearch.com A real Boxing Day bargain When Christmas com es to an end, the giving just starts to begin for dozens o f Oakville golfers w ho annu al participate in the Jim Freill Memorial Charity Boxing Day G olf Tournament at the R ichview G olf and Country Club in Oakville. Each year these hearty golfers extend the holiday giving season by one more day, raising money for som e needy charities. And it's all done in the name o f fun. The event, which has raised more than $50,000 for causes in the GTA since its inception in 1994, is now named in honour o f a man w ell known for his charitable work in Montreal. "At first, I thought the organizers were crazy to organize a tournament in the winter," said Brother David Lynch o f the G ood Shepherd M inistries, one o f the tournament's ch ief beneficiaries. "Once the event was up and running, I then had to question the sanity o f the golfers. Now, I no longer question. "I just give thanks." The G ood Shepherd M inistries operate centers in both Hamilton and Toronto, offering shelter, hot meals and a helping hand for the less fortu nate o f both cities. They also operate Barrett House, Toronto's first residence for people living with AIDS. This year, in addition to supporting the Good Shepherd's many efforts, a special tournament donation is also planned for the U nited Way o f Oakville. "The uncertainty o f the weather is just part o f the fun for the tournament participants," explained tournament founder Peter Freill. "In 1994, the weather was perfect. In 1996, w e played in a blizzard." It is not unusual to see Santa, Dorothy from the Wizard o f Oz or even a foursome o f Vikings on the R ichview course. Costum es are just one o f the traditions practiced by sev eral o f the foursomes. Another, more recent tradition is the induction o f worthy participants into the B oxing Day Tournament Hall o f Fame. Each year, a handful o f benefactors are honoured for their dedication to the tournament. The enthusiasm generated by the tournament has shown in the growth o f both the field and m onies raised for charity. The first year the field was 60, then 90, then 124 ... In, this, its seventh year, 144 are expected to tee it up. Tournament organizors approach com panies to donate goods and ser vices for the charity auction and prize table. Last year's prize table was worth more than $10,000, and every one received a prize. "Som e people think w e 're crazy, but w e have a lot o f fun with this tour nament," explained Freill. "But most important is that w e manage to raise a lot o f m oney for a lot o f very worth w hile causes." For more information phone Peter Freill at (416) 5 9 4 -8492 or Steve Way land at (416) 868-8033. Tiger already selling out M ontreal Here are a couple of file photos from important Oakville golf tournaments. TOP PHOTO: R J. Welsh (aka Doc) has some Boxing Day fun, in the process raising money for area charities. INSET PHOTO: a certain rather recog nizable golfer who helped sell out Glen Abbey this September has already all but sold out Royal Montreal, just on the strength that tournament winners usually defend their titles! Here's a news flash familiar to us here in Oakville. The Oakville-based Royal Canadian G olf Association (RCGA) announced earlier this week that all weekly badges and final round (Sunday) tickets for the 2001 Bell Canadian Open next September have already been sold out. That would be because Tiger Woods is the defending champion with his thrilling win in September at Oakville's Glen Abbey G olf Club. For anyone wanting to travel to Montreal, daily passes are still available for $55, Thursday through Saturday. The Royal Montreal is the site o f Tiger's only missed cut as a professional at the 1997 Bell Canadian Open. O f the last 24 Opens, all but two o f them have been held at Glen Abbey, but that's about to change. Next year is already spoken for at Royal Montreal, the 2002 event (as well as 2007) has been promised to Angus Glen in Montreal, and the 2003 event is penciled in for a rare western jaunt. In fact, it could be back to Glen Abbey as few as three times over the next 13 years with an option for a fourth visit in the subsequent five-year period. That's all because o f last year's well publicized sale of Glen Abbey to Club Link. The RCGA still continues to be headquarterd at Glen Abbey, though now as a lessee, while they look for other headquarters in the Toronto area. Oakville might still have a shot at this. The RCGA has also com e to the rescue o f top women's professional golfing in Canada. With the demise o f the du Maurier, which was a major on the LPGA Tour (and hosted by Glen Abbey in 1997), the RCGA has been awarded the right to stage an LPGA event in Canada for the next five years, and have brought in the Bank o f Montreal as title spon sor. They're not bringing next year's event to Glen Abbey, however (as they did in 1997). Instead the $1.2 million event will be held at the Magna G olf Club in Aurora from Aug. lb19. "This is a great day for the Royal Canadian G olf Association," said Stephen Ross, RCGA executive director. "Not only does this tournament represent a new beginning for the RCGA in the realm o f women's golf, but it is a w el come addition to our family o f professional tournaments; the PGA Tour, the Senior PGA Tour and now the LPGA Tour." As announced earlier this year, Glen Abbey will soon be home to a new luxury hotel/conference centre which will be built and run by Delta Hotels, which is Canada's largest oper ator and owner o f luxury hotels in Canada. Construction is slated to being late next year (2001) with completion by the spring o f 2003. BLT Breakfast Bagel Crispy strip bacon, lettuce and tomato on a freshly baked bagel. Available at participating McDonald's Restaurants. ©2000 McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited For the exclusive use of McOonald s Restaurants of Canada Limited and its franchisees