The Memorial Cup is returning to Alberta this month after 42 years and Innisfail is part of the celebration.
The Innisfail Golf Club will host the 2016 Mastercard Memorial Cup Golf Tournament on May 26, while the Red Deer Rebels host the hockey Memorial Cup from May 19 to 29.
“There is certain criteria that Red Deer must meet to host the Memorial Cup and one of the items is the Mastercard Memorial Cup Golf Tournament,” said Blair Morris, vice-chair of the Memorial Cup Golf Tournament committee. “It's an event that happens each year for the Memorial Cup event.”
“It is an all-day event. Innisfail has such a beautiful golf course. It's going to be a 27-hole tourney and it's going to start with a 9 a.m. shotgun,” he said. “It will run until approximately 2:30 p.m. and then there's an after golf social event.”
The 2016 Mastercard Memorial Cup Golf Tournament is not open to the public but will welcome Canadian Hockey League and Western Hockey League staff and sponsors, as well as several current and former NHL players and Red Deer Rebels alumni.
“We're finalizing our list of celebrities (for the tournament). We do have players such as Brandon Sutter, ex-NHL player Derek Morris, and we've got some calls into some of the alumni that won the last Memorial Cup with the Rebels in 2001,” he said.
Morris said they are expecting about 180 participants for the golf tournament.
“It's a good time for the national sponsors, local sponsors, and WHL sponsors to have a fun day away from hockey,” he said. “To spend time with the people that have supported (teams) and the tournament the entire year.”
He noted the national exposure the Memorial Cup will bring to Innisfail and the support they've received from the Innisfail Golf Club.
“They've been absolutely fantastic helping us with whatever we need to make the golf tournament a success,” said Morris. “It'll be a really exciting time for Innisfail and all of Central Alberta.”
