CREDIT: ANGELA MCINNES
Justin Wismer (left) and Kathleen Barnard (right) help announce the return of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship in London from Sept. 13 to 16. The golf Championship is the end of season for the Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada organization.

The Freedom 55 Financial Championship is returning to London for its sixth consecutive year, but for the first time ever local golfers will have the chance to win their own major prize.

Golfers from local clubs will be able to swing for $1 million and a $5,000 European cruise for two, thanks to the new BDO Million Dollar Shootout taking place on Sept. 15.

Over the summer, players at London area clubs or practice facilities paid $10 for every attempt to qualify by participating in closest-to-thepin competitions, with the proceeds going to this year’s charity partner, Childcan.

Up to 20 qualifiers have been invited to a closest-to-the-pin shot from 150 yards at hole No. 9 for the cruise. The top three will go on to try their hand at hole No. 10 for a million dollar hole-in-one. Should the player succeed, half of the million dollars will be given to Childcan.

“It is hugely important to have events like this. We don’t receive government funding, so we’re very reliant on the community,” Kathleen Barnard, Childcan’s executive director, said.

The charity provides financial assistance and emotional support to families coping with a childhood diagnosis of cancer received at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC).

Another first for the event includes this year’s free admission, thanks to ticket sponsorship from the radio station Classic Rock 98.1. All general grounds tickets for the entire tournament, valued at $20, have been covered by the station.

John Winston, general manager at Tourism London, said that attracting spectatorship for the event is key to making London a significant part of Canada’s golf industry.

“It certainly has a limited economic impact at this stage but the broader picture certainly is this is an event that is important to the development of golf programs in the country,” Winston said.

The Championship tournament will take place at Highland Country Club from Sept. 13 to 16. It will be the event’s fourth year at the Highland. Previously it was held for two years at Sunningdale Golf & Country Club. It will be the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s season-ending event for the top 60 players belonging to its Order of Merit.

The tournament’s Order of Merit winner will be exempt from the following season’s Web.com tour, while the second to fifth placeholders will win conditional status. The first placeholder will receive the Dan Halldorson Trophy for the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year Award and a $25,000 bonus.

“For these players it’s really a stepping stone for their future,” Justin Wismer, the tournament director, said. “If you look over the last several years there’s a lot of big names that have come through here that have been playing and currently been playing in the FedEX cup, which is the championship for the top tier of golf.”

Former notable players of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship include Tony Finau and Mackenzie Hughes.

The Championship’s first round will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 13. Tickets are available at Highland Country Club’s main office, or at the gate during tournament week.