OAKVILLE, Ont. – Penn State will co-host the inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational tournament at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. from September 15-17, 2024, as announced by Golf Canada Wednesday.
The tournament will be conducted by Golf Canada and co-hosted by Penn State and Kent State who are both led by Canadian head coaches in Penn State's Mark Leon and Kent State's Jon Mills. The tournament will feature NCAA Division I men's golf teams with prominent Canadian ties along with the team champions of the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship.
"As a proud Canadian and Penn State Nittany Lion, I'm very proud to be hosting some of the best NCAA programs at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Oviinbyrd," said Nittany Lion head coach Mark Leon. "Canada continues to emerge as a globally significant golfing country and Penn State looks forward to this groundbreaking event."
Joining the co-hosts from Kent State and Penn State will be Miami (Ohio), Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Rutgers and Washington State. Also competing will be the 2024 Canadian University/College Men's Team champions crowned next spring at Idylwylde Golf & Country Club in Sudbury, Ont.
The inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational marks the first time that an NCAA Division I men's golf tournament will be played in Canada.
"We are excited to add a new tournament to our Amateur Championship schedule and we thank Kent State and Penn State for co-hosting this invitational as we welcome some of the top Division I NCAA collegiate programs to compete in Canada for the first time," said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada. "We also extend our thanks to Öviinbyrd Golf Club and the partners Paul McLean, Peter Schwartz and Rob Fraser for their gracious support in hosting this inaugural invitational at their golf course. We are also excited to concurrently run our Team Canada – NextGen selection camp tournament, which will provide high-level junior players the opportunity to compare themselves with top-tier NCAA competition."
Öviinbyrd Golf Club is one of Canada's premier golf courses, designed by Thomas McBroom and opened in 2004 in Muskoka, Ont. The 7,118-yard layout is set amongst the forests and exposed granite of the Canadian shield in Ontario's famous cottage country and will create a challenging and memorable experience for the players. Öviinbyrd's recently renovated practice facility features world class training conditions and state-of-the-art technology and will benefit players participating in both the NCAA event and the Team Canada – NextGen selection camp.
The inaugural championship will be contested over 54 holes in two days, with 36 holes played in the opening round and 18 holes in the final round. The team component will feature five members per team with the top four scores for the day counting to the overall team score. The individual competition will be stroke-play with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open and the top-five receiving exemptions into the 2025 Canadian Men's Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.
ABOUT GOLF CANADA
Golf Canada is the National Sports Federation and governing body for golf in Canada representing more than 341,000 golfers and 1,505 member clubs across the country. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada's mission is to increase Canadian participation and excellence in golf. For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visit www.golfcanada.ca.
